Stampede 2012

[CedarMeter]

Yup, three horses dead. It's on the sun website. Hate seeing this. Just puts a downer on the whole week.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Iginla

The whole idea of making animals run around a circle while whipping them is distasteful.

The horses are finally at peace and not abused for the entertainment of others.

And you choose to post a picutre of a dead horse?

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by Joborule

^^^ That's a bit distasteful if true.

Don't worry. SJP wasn't running until the next heat.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Joborule

And you choose to post a picutre of a dead horse?

Yeah, I got a twisted sense of humour.

Did you think these events happen without horses dying or being injured? You should email the Stampede and let them know your displeasure with dead horses instead of showing such outrage over a light hearted picture.

[Regulator75]

At least the media has something negative to focus on now, instead of anthems or what Harper said about Calgary.

[Ace]

2 years ago (I think) I was invited to meet a driver, can't remember which one, but he was really great with us and answered all our questions. One thing he told us was how they get their horses. Seems that most chuckwagon horses are former race horses. Basically these horses are bred to run and when they reach the end of their peak racing days they are disguarded. This driver explained that they can't really become pleasure or ranch horses because it's ingrained in them to race. The chuck wagon drivers basically save these horses (according to this driver). He mentioned how one of his horses had an injury in a derby, and this driver bought him and rehabed him back into shape. The horse was concidered useless for prize racing.

It was certainly an interesting perspective on these horses and the risk to them. They are basically bred to race, and have nowhere to go if not for the chuck wagon circuit.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Iginla

The whole idea of making animals run around a circle while whipping them is distasteful.

The horses are finally at peace and not abused for the entertainment of others.

Chuckwagon horses are treated about as well as any animal on this planet.

LOL at the ignorance of such a statement as calling them abused.

[La Flames Fan]

This board has been around for how many years and no one registered "Iginla" as a username until July 2012? Jesus.

[Draug]

Originally Posted by La Flames Fan

This board has been around for how many years and no one registered "Iginla" as a username until July 2012? Jesus.

Cause its kinda like wearing #99 out to beer league hockey.... know what I mean?

[zamler]

Yep good reason no one until now had the username Iginla.

I'm on the fence so to speak when it comes to the chucks, I don't feel the horses are abused at all when they race, but I hate to see them go down like that.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Ace

2 years ago (I think) I was invited to meet a driver, can't remember which one, but he was really great with us and answered all our questions. One thing he told us was how they get their horses. Seems that most chuckwagon horses are former race horses. Basically these horses are bred to run and when they reach the end of their peak racing days they are disguarded. This driver explained that they can't really become pleasure or ranch horses because it's ingrained in them to race. The chuck wagon drivers basically save these horses (according to this driver). He mentioned how one of his horses had an injury in a derby, and this driver bought him and rehabed him back into shape. The horse was concidered useless for prize racing.

It was certainly an interesting perspective on these horses and the risk to them. They are basically bred to race, and have nowhere to go if not for the chuck wagon circuit.

100% correct. The chuck drivers treat their horses like family.

If, after their regular racing career is over, they don't go racing on the wagons (which they love to do), these horses typically are sent off to the packers.

[Regular_John]

I was in the upper decks for the chucks tonight, I won't play the victim and pretend I saw anything too horrible. But the outrider's horse went down and pretty much didn't move after that, they then brought out the black curtains and medical trailer. Until I checked twitter on my way home I thought it had just been one death based on what I saw from our seats. Sad to hear it was more.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

100% correct. The chuck drivers treat their horses like family.

If, after their regular racing career is over, they don't go racing on the wagons (which they love to do), these horses typically are sent off to the packers.

Of course they treat them like family when they are making a tonne of money off of them. The better they treat them, the laster they long and the more money they can make.

I'd want to treat them as good as possible as well, but that doesn't mean the horses aren't facing some sort of abuse.

[MrMastodonFarm]

f'n beerfest

[Drake]

Harden was unable to contain his emotions after the crash.

“It’s devastating,” Harden said through tears. “We try our best to make sure they’re all healthy.

“The outriding horse was 18 years old, and I’ve had him for 13 years. He’s part of our family. He’s supposed to be our kids’ horse. This was his last year. He was going to be the kids’ horse, so they started riding him this year. He’s like our family pet.

“The right leader is the horse I won the 2009 Calgary Stampede with, so he’s another sentimental horse.”

http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/07/12...s-three-horses

[Aegypticus]

I get the feeling that the drivers don't typically make that much money. The $100,000 prize wouldn't even cover the two dead horses tonight.

[corporatejay]

Pretty sure they had this one in the hopper ready to go.


http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1007...uckwagon-races

VANCOUVER, July 12, 2012 /CNW/ - The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) is calling for the suspension of the Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races following the death of three horses in this evening's race.
"Clearly, the Stampede's much publicized safety improvements have failed to make the race any safer," said VHS spokesperson Peter Fricker. "Horses continue to die needlessly. This has to stop."
Fricker said the Stampede should suspend the races immediately and conduct a full safety review of the event using independent expertise.
"The Stampede has run out of excuses," said Fricker. "Now is the time to take real action to stop these horses from dying."
More than 50 horses have died in the chuckwagon event since 1986.
For further information: Peter Fricker: Cell: 604 603 5401 Office: 604 266 9744 Debra Probert: Cell: 778 994 9744

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Of course they treat them like family when they are making a tonne of money off of them. The better they treat them, the laster they long and the more money they can make.

I'd want to treat them as good as possible as well, but that doesn't mean the horses aren't facing some sort of abuse.

nm

[Flamesguy_SJ]

So...I went to Garth Brooks tonight. I'm a lifelong Garth fan in town from Saint John, NB until tomorrow morning and couldn't find a single ticket on kijiji or stubhub leading up and had multiple offers/sellers fall through, so my buddy and I just headed down to the grounds this evening to try our luck. We ended up with Press Level seats....at $280 each, two sections apart. I didn't really care though, because I was in the same building as Garth Brooks, and you only experience your first Stampede once. So I was fine with the price.

Then, as I'm in line for beer at the small concession stand, my buddy and some girl come running up to me telling me they have a surprise for me. Apparently, Garth bought the first three rows of seats on the floor and assigned people to go up into the bleeds and give them away.

So I ended up with this view the entire night:



So I guess I wrote this to say: thank you, Garth Brooks; thank you, Calgary; and thank you, Stampede, for an amazing week. I'll definitely be back.

[jhunt223]

Originally Posted by Drake

http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/07/12...s-three-horses

I wouldn't expose a family pet to a situation where it stood a decent chance of dying. The fact that we keep on with this hill billy rodeo crap year after year despite the fact that animals keep on dying makes me pretty ashamed to be Calgarian.