For More Information:
Mike Hausmann
Media Coordinator
National High School Rodeo Association
1-800-466-4772
mike@nhsra.org

March 8, 2005

National High School Rodeo Association Releases Latest Animal Welfare Statistics

Denver, CO ­ The National High School Rodeo Association has released animal welfare statistics for the 2004 year for both the National High School Finals Rodeo and individual state rodeo events.

Of the 45 U.S. states and Canadian provinces that belonged to the Association in 2004, a total of 36 entities submitted animal injury reports. Of the 36 states, there were 22,273 runs. A total of 12 animal competitive injuries occurred during those runs, along with 2 animal deaths. The percentage of competitive injuries was 0.00054% and the percentage of deaths was 0.000090%. National statistical numbers have been tracked now for several years. These are the first numbers to be reported by states.

With regards to the daily humane report from the 2004 National High School Finals Rodeo, the total number of culls throughout the rodeo was 6 out of 4,054 rodeo runs. The percentage of accident/illness incidences was 0.0015%.

The collection of numbers for the 2004 year was managed by the NHSRA’s Animal Welfare Committee, a group of 10 national board and student members that is charged with ensuring that high school rodeo activities are as safe as possible for the animals involved. Committee Chair, Bob Russell, says that the numbers are a good indicator that animal welfare is a big concern for NHSRA participants. "It really goes back to management," says Russell. "All of the Directors and participants truly have the safety of animals at heart. The number one thing we do is follow the NHSRA rule book. If we do that, many of those safety issues won't even come up. Also, safety factors in fences, chutes, and other equipment have really helped. The elimination of sharp edges and the configuration and construction of the pens all contributes to safety as well."

“The goal of the NHSRA is to support and promote rodeo activities that are safe for both the contestants and the animals involved,” says NHSRA Executive Director, Kent Sturman. “These numbers are an important step for the Association as they indicate that our animal welfare policies are effective. We look forward to expanding the scope of this study in future years and looking for further opportunities to protect the welfare of animals and contestants.”

The NHSRA is one of the fastest growing youth organizations in the nation, with an annual membership of over 10,500 students from 40 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia. The Association sanctions over 1,100 rodeos each year. The NHSRA is governed by a national board of directors, which consists of one member from each state or province. A staff at the national headquarters in Denver, Colorado, handles the day-to-day operations.

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