American Humane Association Declares -- No Connection to Rodeo!

sharkonline.org - SHARK Update Wednesday, November 18, 2009

 Time to Call-out the Rodeo Mafia
Dear Friends,

In our update yesterday we told you about the following claim from rodeo announcer Charlie Throckmorton at the National Finals Steer Roping (aka steer busting) event, while injured steers were being dragged out:
"We work in complete harmony with the American Humane Association."

Thanks to those of you who called the AHA, as your calls have prompted a response from the organization which reads as follows:

"The rodeo announcer completely misspoke.  The American Humane Association has no formal relationship or working arrangement at all with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, nor have we ever given permission for or approval of such an announcement.  We do not monitor the activities at rodeos and we do not have any oversight of rodeo events."

We are very pleased that the AHA has no ties to rodeo.  Now it is time to expose the PRCA, which sanctioned the steer busting finals, and its Commissioner Karl Stressman, who attended both performances where the false claim of AHA collusion was made.  As twisted and disgusting as steer busting is, it's even more perverse that these animal abusers would then make such an outrageous claim, but that's how it is in the world of rodeo.

Why don't we all ask Commissioner Stressman why rodeo announcer Charlie Throckmorton repeatedly made such an outrageous and utterly false claim of alliance with the American Humane Association, and why did Commissioner Stressman allow the lie to continue?  You can e-mail Stressman at TalkToKarl@prorodeo.com or call him at:  719-593-8840.  I have included the letter I sent this morning.  Please inform us if Commissioner Stressman responds.

Here is my letter:

Good morning Commissioner Stressman,

Like you, I attended the PRCA's National Finals Steer Roping performances last Friday and Saturday nights at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Like you, I heard rodeo announcer Charlie Throckmorton repeatedly make the following claim as some of the numerous injured steers were being removed from the arena floor:

"We work in complete harmony with the American Humane Association."

That is a lie. We contacted the American Humane Association, and the organization has released the following:

"The rodeo announcer completely misspoke. The American Humane Association has no formal relationship or working arrangement at all with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, nor have we ever given permission for or approval of such an announcement. We do not monitor the activities at rodeos and we do not have any oversight of rodeo events."

Steer busting is a cruel and indefensible spectacle. I didn't think the PRCA could make it more outrageous, but Mr. Throckmorton proved me wrong.

You recently assured in ProRodeo Sport News that there are "No Secrets" and "No Hidden Agendas" at the PRCA. You further promised that there is "Full Disclosure," and that "People Can Get Answers.

Forgetting for a moment that you did not respond to my calls a few months ago, and ignoring that thereafter you did not respond to my YouTube challenge to your claims of "No Secrets", "No Hidden Agendas", "Full Disclosure" and "People Can Get Answers", I call on you now to Cowboy-Up and admit that Mr. Throckmorton's statements made in your presence were totally false. I further ask that you publicly apologize for those false statements and promise that it will never happen again.

Claiming an alliance with an animal protection organization while animals injured due to abuse are being dragged out of the rodeo arena is reprehensible even for rodeo.

I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,
Steve Hindi, President
SHARK