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Activism & Animals Active Updated Jul 17, 2026

The Calgary Stampede accountability fight

A rodeo worker was filmed repeatedly striking a downed horse's head during a live-televised bronc-riding event at the Calgary Stampede, prompting a legal complaint from Animal Justice and an investigation by the Calgary Humane Society. Alberta recently carved rodeo and chuckwagon racing out of rules that would otherwise apply, testing what accountability these events face as that exemption takes hold.

The story so far

  1. Jul 17, 2026 Latest

    A chuckwagon collision seriously injured another horse at the Calgary Stampede, days after Alberta carved rodeo and chuckwagon events out of its animal protection law. Animal Justice said 110 animals have died at the Stampede since 1986, 79 of them in chuckwagon races alone, including 6 horses killed in the 2019 chuckwagon races, the deadliest Stampede in the past decade.

    Animal Justice

  2. Jul 13, 2026

    A wagon collision seriously injured a horse during a live-televised heat at the Calgary Stampede, a separate incident from the July 7 bronc-riding injury to Ice Cube. Animal Justice lawyer Alexandra Pester said the incident was exactly what the group warned would keep happening once Alberta carved chuckwagon racing out of its animal protection law.

    Animal Justice

  3. Jul 11, 2026

    During a live-televised bronc-riding event on July 7, a rodeo worker repeatedly struck a downed horse named Ice Cube in the head and yanked his mane trying to force him up; Animal Justice filed a legal complaint and the Calgary Humane Society opened an investigation.

    Animal Justice

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