Second death at rodeo

Rodeo officials have been accused by animal rights groups of covering up a second animal’s death at a rodeo in Gisborne last month.

Marianne Macdonald, head of campaigns at animal rights organisation SAFE, said they were alerted to the incident, where a horse was killed after allegedly escaping a chute and running into a fence at a rodeo in Gisborne on December 27.

Rodeo officials confirmed the horse’s death, but New Zealand Cowboys Rodeo Association president Lyal Cocks said it was the result of an accident.

‘‘While any accident involving stock is regretted and saddens all rodeo members, this unusual accident away from the competition could have happened in any stockyards or paddock anywhere in the country and would not be news,’’ Cocks said.

At the same rodeo a bull was shot dead after it dislocated its leg.

Macdonald said it was concerning that despite being interviewed several times about the bull’s death, Gisborne rodeo officials did not mention the horse’s death.

‘‘It’s really a continuation of the secrecy that the rodeo community throughout New Zealand have been practising, because they’ve had bans on people being allowed to film or take photos or video at most of the rodeos around the country in the last two seasons,’’ Macdonald said.

SAFE was renewing calls for a total ban on rodeo in New Zealand, saying there was no way of ever knowing the true number of rodeo deaths.