ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP, RODEO PLANNERS AT ODDS OVER TREATMENT OF LIVESTOCK

Before one bucking horse, bronco bull or cowboy has reached the Show Me Center for this weekend's rodeo, a competition is under way.

It's not between the professional players who make a living riding, roping and wrestling, however.

Rather, this competitive arena involves the Animal Rights Action Team of Southern Illinois University and the promoters of the Longhorn World Championship Rodeo.

Both sides are ultimately interested in an issue that goes beyond the treatment of animals in rodeos.

Sheila Lehrke, who represents the Longhorn Rodeo and has written an article on animal rights extremists in the show's program, indicated ignorance and misconception often cloud the debate.

"Sometimes the general public can be confused between animal rights and animal welfare," said Lehrke, whose husband is the promoter of the seventh Annual Longhorn World Championship Rodeo, scheduled to take place here Feb. 25-27.

"There are animal rights groups who don't want animals to be used in any form, whether it be entertainment or competition; nothing at all," said Lehrke.

"These groups believe that animals are on the same level as people and should be treated as such. Some of these people haven't even seen a rodeo, yet they feel compelled to protest its very existence."

Added Lehrke, "Our organization is interested in the humane treatment of animals. We spend a lot of money making sure these animals are treated and cared for with the utmost regard for their welfare."

Andrea Bauch, spokesperson for the Animal Rights Action Team, indicated her group's mission is to inform the public that there are alternate forms of entertainment besides the "exploitation" of animals.

"Our mission is to show that we don't have the right to use animals as a form of entertainment," said Bauch. "Our main goal is to inform the public that there are things going on out there that they may not know exist. It's only by bringing these to the awareness of the public that we can make a more educated decision on whether or not we want to support shows like the rodeo."

The Animal Rights Action Team plans to hold a demonstration Friday from 6-9 p.m. in front of the Show Me Center.

Lehrke sees the rodeo and other events involving animals as forms of entertainment that can thrive without any need for animal abuse. In fact, she points out, any abuse by a rodeo participant on an animal is punishable by Rule No. 19.

This rule, enforced by the International Professional Rodeo Association states: "Any individual deliberately abusing livestock in an IPRA rodeo arena, regardless of whether the abuse happens during a qualified or unqualified run, will be removed from the arena, totally disqualified from that rodeo and fined $200 for the first offense, fined $500 for the second offense and $1,000 plus suspension for the remainder of the fiscal year for the third offense."

Bauch believes any use of animals outside their natural habitat is a form of exploitation.

"If you pull chimpanzees out of the rain forest to put them on TV or in the movies, you're exploiting them," said Bauch. "Even in breeding dogs, there are instances where the dogs are not coddled or nurtured to get them to respond in a certain way. We are against that."

Said Lehrke, "When I hear that animals are not meant to be removed from their natural habitat, it just makes me smile. Animals are very adaptable and can live longer under the protection of a rodeo or circus than in the wild. Elephants often live only three to five years in the wild, but can live much longer in a more protective environment."

The Animal Rights Action team charges that cattle and horses used in the rodeo are subjected to "cruel treatment to ensure they perform to the expectations of the audiences and athletes."

Such treatments, charges the activist group, include electric prods, caustic ointments, sharp spurs and bucking straps.

"I've never seen ointments used," said Lehrke. "There are flank straps used on bucking horses. But they're used the same way a bit is used to tell a riding horse which direction to go."

Another charge is that bucking horses are prodded to cause them to behave in a manner that is not natural.

"The horses chosen for bucking are the ones who are least inclined to be broken in the first place," said Lehrke. "The flank straps are used to get them to start bucking the same way a bit is used to tell the horse which way to move. There's nothing abusive or unnatural about that."