Thanks to Danielle Smith once again for digging into the chuck wagon discussion today.
So many different parts to this. I want to specifically look at this as a Calgarian and I am ignoring the larger issues about the lives of the racehorses and the economics for those that live and work in this sport.
6 deaths in 10 days is unacceptable. The inherent risk of the sport is too high for the city to continue to be associated with it. The rodeo events had zero deaths. The chucks should be suspended indefinitely from Stampede unless the racing associations can propose to govern their sport in such a way that the inherent risk is drastically reduced.
I am a proud Albertan (admittedly urban/suburban) who believes in celebrating agricultural/western heritage. But these deaths take away from everything Stampede is trying to do.
Change the sport or create a new sporting event. Our history can be celebrated without allowing these deaths to occur as a natural part of a sport that is a headline event for the city.
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