Dear Friends,
It's crying time in the rodeo mafia. On Sunday, August 23, 2009 the Wyoming Tribune Eagle newspaper announced that the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo is losing money -- a lot of money, to the tune of 1.3 million dollars. Of course, rodeo promoters are claiming all kinds of excuses, and are even claiming that their attendance is up.
SHARK investigators have been at all Cheyenne Rodeo performances since 2007, and our first Cheyenne performance was in 2005. We've seen the stands, and this year we remarked as to how many seats were empty every day, including the final day. Not only do we watch, but we take pictures and video of the stands every day, just so they can be compared. We have not actually done the comparisons yet, but we will, and we strongly doubt that there was any increase in attendance, in fact, quite the opposite.
Meanwhile the National High School Rodeo Finals, which were held in Farmington, New Mexico is still being exposed for shocking animals even though the rodeo ended weeks ago. That's good news for future rodeo animal victims, but very bad news for the phony cowboys in rodeo.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the Farmington story is that while everyone else seems to see what is going on in the video documentation without any problem, National High School Rodeo Association Executive Director Kent Sturman claimed the video was such poor quality that he just couldn't make out anything. To this I can only comment that denial truly is the foundation of rodeo. See for yourself by clicking here.
Two major events, Cheyenne and the National High School Rodeo are being exposed for abuse. The investigation against the Cheyenne Rodeo for criminal animal neglect is still in progress, and we'll update that issue when there is something to report.
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CFD Loses $1.3 Million in Two Years
If Not for Corporate Sponsors, the Loss Would be Far More
On Sunday, August 23, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported that the Cheyenne Rodeo has been losing money. The following are some excerpts from the article. Read the entire article here.
A review of Cheyenne Frontier Days' tax returns shows its financial situation in recent years has been much like one of its rodeo events -- a bumpy ride. IRS tax returns show the non-profit lost about $1.36 million between 2006 and 2008. "It certainly depletes our cash reserves," executive director Dave Johansen said.
This shows that even with all the corporate sponsors the CFD rodeo has, they are still losing money. Enough can't be said about how important it is to get corporate sponsors to withdraw their support of all rodeos. This includes stopping support with our tax dollars via the Army and Navy, and also the money brought in by celebrity performers. Click here to help stop the sponsoring of rodeos by corporate sponsors.
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National High School Rodeo Association Finals - Media
Great TV Coverage and Newspaper Article
SHARK continues to receive great coverage of our exposé of the animal abuse and shocking of the horses and bulls at the National High School Rodeo Association Finals in Farmington, NM. The latest is KRQE TV news broadcast and an article in The Daily Times Newspaper.
Here is a link to the TV news broadcast. Also on the KRQE website is a link to SHARK's video. Both links allow for comments without registering, please leave your comments.
The following are some excerpts from the newspaper article. You can read the entire article here and leave comments without registering. 
The New Mexico Livestock Board said this week it will investigate alleged animal cruelty at the National High School Finals Rodeo following the release of an Internet video depicting horses and bulls being electrically shocked with handheld cattle prods.
A majority of the clips show rodeo workers placing the unidentified devices within their hands or pants pockets immediately after use.
"They're trying to make an animal that isn't acting aggressive act aggressive," said Steve Hindi, president of the Illinois-based Showing Animals Respect and Kindness activist group. "There's a lot of voltage behind (the prod) and it hurts, it hurts more than an electric fence."
Hindi noted the manufacturer of the Hot-Shot, the handheld prod he believes was used during the Farmington rodeo, warns the device is not designed to be used on horses or in rodeos.
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Does Taylor Swift Have a Heart?
It Appears She Doesn't
Previously SHARK asked that everyone contact Taylor Swift regarding her upcoming performance at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. As you know, Taylor did perform at CFD. SHARK has completed its first video regarding Taylor Swift and her performance at CFD.
See video here, rate it and leave comments.
Photo Courtesy of Faigl.ladslav@wikipedia.org
* * * * * * * * Cowboy Criminal Corner
Rodeo Rider Charged with Dragging Horse to Death
The following excerpts are another fine example of how much rodeo people love and respect their animals. You can read the entire story here. 
21-year-old Tyler Brockman was on his way home to Kearney, after a night at the rodeo in Sumner. He apparently was unaware that he didn't untie his horse and put him in the trailer before taking off in his pickup.
The horse was dragged to death in front of their eyes. "The horse was trying to keep up, but he was tied securely to the trailer and as we were behind him, the horse went down and was dragging. It was dark and the horse had shoes on and sparks where flying everywhere and it was horrific. It was just horrific," said Penny, an eyewitness.
About 11 p.m. that evening, a Buffalo County deputy sheriff stopped the man just east of Amherst, and arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver was charged with Cruel Neglect of an Animal. If convicted on the animal cruelty charge, he could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Two days later, on July 6, the horse was found dead in Phelps County on a farm north of Funk on V Road. Officials say Brockman worked for the owner of the farm.
SHARK will provide updates on this case as they become available.
To read about more Cowboy Criminals click here.
* * * * * * * * Success! Denver Broncos NOT at Cheyenne Rodeo This Year
Thanks to All of You
The one and only good thing about the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo this year is that the Denver Broncos did NOT make an appearance.
Thanks goes to each and every one one of you that contacted the Denver Broncos and the NFL Commissioner and asked that they not support CFD with their appearance.
You made this campaign successful for the suffering animals of rodeo!
Thank You!!!
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Help the Victims of Rodeo - Videotape Your Local Rodeo
SHARK Video Volunteers
SHARK has been very busy this rodeo season videotaping a lot of rodeos. We haven't even had time to post videos from all the rodeos we have been at, but we will.
Two volunteers helped us at two of the biggest rodeos SHARK documented this summer and they are:
Adam Fahnestock helped at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo in Cheyenne, WY. Adam took time out of his summer work project for college and drove down from Idaho to help document the cruelty and death at CFD.
Don Kimball helped Mike Kobliska at the National High School Finals in Farmington, NM. Earlier this summer, Don also videotaped two other rodeos.
We appreciate Adam and Don taking time to help us. SHARK is always very grateful for help with our work for the animals.
SHARK has been contacted by other activists interested in videotaping rodeo animal abuse. We encourage everyone to grab a camera and take pictures and videotape rodeos in your area. Here is a link to our website of tips on how to videotape rodeos. With documentation of animal cruelty and deaths, you can do what SHARK does, compile the key video clips and send them to the local media, rodeo sponsors, local law enforcement officials, and of course, upload them onto YouTube for the world to see.
Feel free to contact SHARK for more information at: info@SHARKonline.org.
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Donate to SHARK's Continued Success for the Animals
Our Exposés of Rodeos Are Making a Difference
As you can see, SHARK continues to be hughly effective in its efforts to expose the cruelty and deaths of animals in rodeos. The extensive media coverage SHARK is getting is educating millions about the cruel truth of rodeos.
Help SHARK continue to be successful for the animals by donating here.
Kindest Regards,
Steve Hindi and Your SHARK Team
"Kindness and compassion towards all living beings is a mark of a civilized society. Racism, economic deprival, dog fighting and cock fighting, bullfighting and rodeos are all cut from the same defective fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves." - Cesar Chavez, civil rights and labor leader, founder of the United Farm Workers