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| mary cummins, animal advocates, charreria, rodeo, rodeo ban, los angeles, california, animal cruelty, spain, mexico, ranchero, horses, abuse, death, charro, 20-1575, rodeo events, inhumane implements, electric prods, shocking devices, bucking straps, spurs, Photo: Wikipedia |
FTR I'm Latina. My family is from Mexico. Family name is Rivera Baz. We had a ranch in Mexico and the US. I rode horses growing up. I went to American rodeos. I speak Spanish. I'm a citizen and registered voter of Los Angeles, California, USA. I was born in Los Angeles. I also went through the Police Academy, Humane Academy to become a Humane Officer to enforce animal cruelty regulations in California. That said I'm against certain specific cruel rodeo, charreria events because they are animal abuse. They cause senseless stress, injury and death to animals and people including children. Most rodeo events are animal cruelty and a violation of
California penal code 597. The code is mentioned in the motion. Just to be clear the city wants to ban specific acts of animal abuse. They are not outright banning rodeos, charreria, horseback riding or farm animal events. You can have the events. Just don't abuse animals with specific activity which they will list. No traditional or cultural events will be banned just very specific cruel acts.
UPDATE 08/02/2024 Councilmember Monica Rodriguez just posted this on Instagram.She said she was against hurting animals. The new proposed ordinance only bans the acts that harm animals.It doesn't ban rodeo, charreria or horse riding.
"mrodcd7
I am proud to stand with our diverse equestrian coalition to demand cultural and historical recognition of Rodeos in the City of LA. I am glad that Sports Illustrated has addressed the misguided Rodeo Ban Ordinance. The article highlights the lack of valuable input from impacted communities and I encourage each of you to let your voices be heard!
#equestriancommunity #RodeoOrdinance
@ale_accessories @elpotrerito @jimswestern @comptoncowboys @ventas_el_ranchero @rancho_gg @horsemansylmar @si_rodeo @sportsillustrated "
07/18/2024 From the city attorney. City will ban rodeo events. They didn't ban all the charro events but did ban rodeo events.
"Pursuant to your request, this Office has prepared and now transmits for your
consideration the enclosed draft ordinance, approved as to form and legality. The draft
ordinance adds Section 53.39.2 to Article 3, Chapter V of the Los Angeles Municipal
Code (LAMC) to prohibit the following animal exhibition activities for live public
amusement or entertainment in the City of Los Angeles: bareback bronc riding, bull
riding, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and any other
activity that involves physically wrestling an animal to the ground, roping an animal, or
attempting to ride and remain mounted on a bucking animal. The draft ordinance
specifies that it shall not be construed to prohibit an equestrian, cultural, or other event
that does not include the prohibited animal exhibition activities and that complies with all
other applicable laws, rules, and regulations. The draft ordinance also amends LAMC
Sections 53.50(a)(1) and 53.65(b) to remove references to a rodeo permit and deletes
LAMC Section 53.50(f)(8) to remove reference to a rodeo permit fee."
More info
UPDATE I've been doing some research. Except for upcoming
Professional Bull Riders Unleash The Beast rodeo at Crypto.com arena in February 16, 17 2024 there aren't many rodeo, charreria/charreada events in Los Angeles City. The few that exist are outside of the city in other cities like Pico Rivera (charrereada events), City of Industry (Bill Pickett rodeo) or Los Angeles County. This mainly has to do with zoning and cost of land. I'll post a list of these places in the city if I can find any. I think people may be arguing over basically nothing. Very few events could be banned. Specifically only certain specific cruel behaviors involving animals would be banned. You can still do horse parades and the rest of the charreria activities like mariachi, dancing, singing and of course enjoying delicious Mexican cuisine. The city should look at the number of rodeo, charreada permits actually pulled last 20 years. I bet there are very few.
I just read this on
24-7 Animal. "One standard charreada event, horse tripping, has been banned throughout California since 1994." I think horse tripping was banned years earlier because of the movie industry. There was a lot of horse tripping in old westerns. A few actors put a stop to it calling it cruel and sometimes lethal. They could easily break their legs, backs and necks.
12/14/2023 My comment just showed up on 12/11.
Name: Mary Cummins Animal Advocates
Date Submitted: 12/07/2023 12:26 PM
Council File No: 20-1575
Comments for Public Posting: Mary Cummins Animal Advocates RE: Public Comment
supporting item 20-1575 Proposed Rodeo Ban. I'm a Latina
registered to vote in Los Angeles. My family is from Mexico
family name Rivera. I was born in Los Angeles. We owned a
horse ranch in Mexico and the US. I went to rodeos growing up. I
speak English and Spanish and am heavily involved in Mexican
cultural traditions and events. I'm also President of Animal
Advocates. We worked with the City of Los Angeles to get the
current wildlife policy passed in 2004. We worked with Los
Angeles County to get an amendment to allow wildlife
rehabilitation in 2006. I also went through the Police Academy
and Humane Academy to become a Humane Officer to help
enforce animal cruelty regulations. I've witnessed first hand the
cruelty of rodeos and charreada events. Animals are roped, their
necks violently yanked while they are thrown to the ground and
hog tied. Broncos and bulls violently try to throw off riders
sometimes severely injuring their necks and backs even fatally.
People chase a wild pig grabbing and throwing it violently to the
ground injuring it. Animals are traumatized, injured and
sometimes even killed. People including children are also
traumatized and injured watching and participating in these
events. Some participants are as young as only four years old.
Some children involved in "mutton busting" i.e. wild sheep riding,
have been severely injured as have been the sheep. Bull fighting
used to be legal. It was a traditional cultural event in Spain,
Mexico and Los Angeles. Today it's banned in most parts of the
world because it's violent and cruel. When they banned the actual
bull fights they maintained the rest of the event which was
mariachi singers, dancers, horses walking in unison with riders in
beautiful cultural dress, traditional food, drinks and much more.
The venues maintained their businesses and incomes and no
animals, participants or viewers were harmed. These specific
rodeo, charreria events should be banned in the city of Los
Angeles no matter who is doing them. Here is the definition of
each charreria event for those who don't know. They are the same
exact events as American, Native American rodeos.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charrer%C3%ADa No one group
should get a pass on animal cruelty. That would be
discrimination. Many cultural and traditional activities are
outlawed today for good reason such as slavery, bull fighting and
outlawed today for good reason such as slavery, bull fighting and
human sacrifice. Please, pass the ban on rodeo activity involving
animals. Thank you. Sincerely, Mary Cummins President
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA
Website: http://www.AnimalAdvocates.us Twitter:
https://twitter.com/animaladvusa Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/animaladvocatesusa/
12/06/2023: Based on the unanimous motion they will ban specific rodeo events and listed the type of banned activity. Then they said charreada and other events are okay unless they include the banned activity. That means charreria events will be banned. They can do the main event but can't do any of the ten individual charreria events. Definition of charreria events is below. Charreria will be banned unless they just want to dress up and ride around on horses normally. Okay!
Current status is it goes back to City Attorney to be rewritten then will return to City Council to vote again. Latina City Council member Monica Rodriguez signed the motion. She voted yes to the motion to ban rodeo and rodeo events. That means she voted to ban charreria, see below with her signature and vote.
"MOTION
DEC 0 5 2023
I FURTHER MOVE that the City Council request the City Attorney to prepare and present an
ordinance that will amend the Los Angeles Municipal Code to:
I MOVE that the City Council receive and file City Attorney Report Number 21-0377 and the
attached draft ordinance, which were transmitted on December 22, 2021.
1. Define a Rodeo as an exhibition, performance, or competition for live public entertainment
that includes: bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling,
team roping, or other event or activity that involves physically taking down an animal, roping an
animal, or attempting to ride a bucking animal. The definition of Rodeo shall not include
equestrian and charreada events, American Indian, Native American, Indigenous Rodeo,
Mexican Charreria, and Escaramuza or any other rodeo-type events provided that the event does
not engage in any activity (sic) compremising the definition of Rodeo.
2. Prohibit any person from conducting, operating, or participating in a Rodeo as defined above
in the City of Los Angeles; and
3. Delete any existing references to a rodeo permit or rodeo permit fee."
If you want to submit a public comment, you can do so at the link below. Politely tell them your opinion of the motion. Below is my public comment.
"Mary Cummins
Animal Advocates
RE: Public Comment supporting item 20-1575 Proposed Rodeo Ban.
I'm a Latina registered to vote in Los Angeles. My family is from Mexico family name Rivera. I was born in Los Angeles. We owned a horse ranch in Mexico and the US. I went to rodeos growing up. I speak English and Spanish and am heavily involved in Mexican cultural traditions and events.
I'm also President of Animal Advocates. We worked with the City of Los Angeles to get the current wildlife policy passed in 2004. We worked with Los Angeles County to get an amendment to allow wildlife rehabilitation in 2006. I also went through the Police Academy and Humane Academy to become a Humane Officer to help enforce animal cruelty regulations.
I've witnessed first hand the cruelty of rodeos and charreada events. Animals are roped, their necks violently yanked while they are thrown to the ground and hog tied. Broncos and bulls violently try to throw off riders sometimes severely injuring their necks and backs even fatally. People chase a wild pig grabbing and throwing it violently to the ground injuring it.
Animals are traumatized, injured and sometimes even killed. People including children are also traumatized and injured watching and participating in these events. Some participants are as young as only four years old. Some children involved in "mutton busting" i.e. wild sheep riding, have been severely injured as have been the sheep.
Bull fighting used to be legal. It was a traditional cultural event in Spain, Mexico and Los Angeles. Today it's banned in most parts of the world because it's violent and cruel. When they banned the actual bull fights they maintained the rest of the event which was mariachi singers, dancers, horses walking in unison with riders in beautiful cultural dress, traditional food, drinks and much more. The venues maintained their businesses and incomes and no animals, participants or viewers were harmed.
These specific rodeo, charreria events should be banned in the city of Los Angeles no matter who is doing them. Here is the definition of each charreria event for those who don't know. They are the same exact events as American, Native American rodeos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charrer%C3%ADa No one group should get a pass on animal cruelty. That would be discrimination. Many cultural and traditional activities are outlawed today for good reason such as slavery, bull fighting and human sacrifice. Please, pass the ban on rodeo activity involving animals. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mary Cummins
President
CD7 Councilmember Monica Rodriguez stated this at the rally yesterday. I've met her a few times at Latino events like Dia de Muertos, El Grito... I like her a lot. She is Latina and speaks Spanish. She is being a politician in this video and trying to appease some people. Notice she clearly stated "we must protect the welfare of the animals that we all love." Rodeo events clearly harm the welfare of animals. She is involved in equine activities in Los Angeles. She just had a horse event recently. She has promoted the safety and welfare of horses by having horse health clinics and making safer horse trails. She was part of Equine Safety Month, promotes the Equine Fair, horse license and microchip cinics and equine health clinics. I follow her pages because I generally support what she does.
Below is translated from the linked video below. I did my best.
"La lucha sigues. (the fight continues) It's very important that everyone understands we're not done. What we did today was show them that we're not going to go silently.and we're gonna protect our cultural tradition and together were also gonna make sure that we protect the welfare of the animals that we all love. What were doing today is we've sent this item back to committee and we need to continue to show up to make sure that the policy that is adopted by this city council isn't punitive to any community of color that practices equine keeping and celebrate our beloved animals. I want to thank the cowboys, the charreria from Sylmar, Pico Rivera, Riverside and everyone that came out today from the 7th district. Equine keeping, this is a treasured and beloved practice for our community. We want to make sure that we protect this history for years to come. Thank you all for being here today but we need you to continue to show up and make sure. Today we fought for a seat at the table and we won. Now we gotta show up and make sure that we inform good policy making that is just as it relates to equine keeping, it ... We have to show up and be accounted for."
I noticed most speakers said they came from Mexico and aren't citizens or natives of Los Angeles or the US. They keep saying "Viva Mexico! Viva rodeo!" This motion is about rodeo in the city of Los Angeles. Most don't speak English. Most didn't engage with anti rodeo protesters because it didn't look like they understood what was being said. Instead they sang songs in Spanish. I have a feeling some commercial rodeo businesses and organizations are the ones who encouraged these non-citizens to show up. It's most likely the Professional Bull Riders tour which is supposed to happen in February 2024. They're probably workers from the businesses if not paid protesters. The city only cares about what voting citizens want in their city. When these people realize that rodeo activities will be banned they won't be too happy. The anti-rodeo activists have been on this issue for 30 years. They go to all the meetings to speak. They are citizens of LA.
Monica Rodriguez previously stated "According to Rodriguez's office, in its current form the proposed ordinance "unfairly excludes sports like polo and dressage while applying a broad definition of rodeo that adversely affects cultural traditions." Polo and dressage can be cruel.
The board of LA Animal Services supports the rodeo ban. "In October, the Los Angeles Board of Animal Services Commissioners unanimously recommended that the City Council pass the ban, with several members of the public and LAAS General Manager Staycee Dains speaking in strong support of the measure and no one speaking against it."
Rodeos are banned in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and Vancouver, Canada banned them in 2006. The City Council originally asked the city attorney to draft a proposed ordinance in early 2021, modeling it after a 1992 ordinance enacted in Pittsburgh that Los Angeles officials say has worked well in its 30 years of enforcement.
"Rodeos often use a number of inhumane implements to encourage aggressive behavior in animals to produce an entertainment product. Animals suffer significant injuries during common rodeo events such as bull and bronco riding, steer wrestling and calf roping," the City Council motion stated. "Many animals are put down as a result of injuries sustained during these events. It is time for our city to act in the interest of animal welfare on this issue as it has in the past for other issues."
Pasadena banned the display of wild or exotic animals on public property in 2015, a law that applied to circuses and rodeos. Irvine banned rodeos in 2011, and Laguna Woods and Chino Hills have also banned them.
Other cities and counties including Alameda County in Northern California and Clark County in Nevada have passed more narrow prohibitions on specific rodeo activities without banning the events all together."
UPDATE: The city basically banned rodeos today. They excluded "charreria," "charreada" not realizing it's the same thing. They did state that they are banning specific rodeo practices. The "motion is an “instruction” to the city attorney to draft an ordinance that bans specific cruel activities such as “bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, road capping, etc.” These practices are the same things as charreria, see definitions below! The motion has to go to other committees then back to City Council before it will get a final vote. They are working on the wording. A Latina politician made it seem earlier that the motion wasn't passed. I think she was just trying to appease the cowboys for the press.
Another thing to consider here is these events aren't just dangerous and cruel for animals. They're also dangerous for humans especially young people. They break their necks, backs, ankles or die. Surely there is better entertainment than watching people hurt themselves and animals. How about just Latino cultural events on horseback with mariachis, folklorico dancers, great food, singing, native arts. This is what they replaced bullfighting with in Mexico and Spain.
ORIGINAL: Los Angeles City had a meeting today December 5, 2023 about banning rodeos in the city limits. Originally the motion was going to be to just ban cattle prods and other cruel rodeo tools but then they decided to just ban rodeos. The item is Council File: 20-1575 Inhumane Implements / Electric Prods or Shocking Devices / Flank or Bucking Straps / Wire Tiedowns / Sharpened or Fixed Spurs or Rowels / Prohibition / Rodeo Events. Here is a link to the LA City org file.
https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=20-1575
Let me preface this by saying I'm Latina. My family is from Mexico. I speak Spanish. My family had horses and a ranch in Mexico. I understand the language and culture. I also know a lot about rodeos and farm animals. I went through the police academy and humane academy to become a Humane Officer to investigate and help prosecute cruelty to animals. Rodeos are cruel to animals. Animals are injured and killed. Bull fighting is also cruel.
Today a few Mexican, Latino cowboys showed up at City Hall on horseback and called the media. They stated that the motion would ban their "cultural and traditional equestrian events." The motion was just to ban rodeos and not normal equestrian events that aren't cruel and lethal.
Turns out the people were there to support Mexican rodeos. The Mexican Spanish term for rodeos is
charreria. They do the same events as a regular rodeo. Below are some photos from Wikipedia of charreria. They lasso, grab, throw down and mistreat animals just like American rodeos. American rodeos came from Spanish rodeos. Our American cowboy came from the Spanish vaquero.
Spaniards brought horses and farm animals to the new world, the Americas in the 1500's. They brought the rodeo culture and these same cruel events. Spaniards enslaved the indigenous people and forced them to become farm hands on their ranches. The farm hands on the different rancheros would compete against each other in these competitions. They were later called charrerua and cowboys were called charros.
When Mexico became independent they still had the ranchero system which was basically slavery in the form of peasant wages which trapped people. These Mexicans, Latinos are today claiming this Spanish tradition is their wonderful indigenous Mexican culture and tradition. Bull fighting was also a Spanish, Mexican tradition which is outlawed in the US and many places in Mexico. Slavery is also outlawed. Raping your wife used to be legal. Just because something is a cultural traditional and used to be legal doesn't mean people should continue doing it.
The City is going to allow more public input before they vote on the motion to ban rodeos in the city. The main reason why some people want rodeos and charrerias is of course money. A few businesses make a lot of money off these cruel events. They sell a lot of alcohol and tickets while animals are chased, wrangled, have their necks snapped, ankles broken and backs broken for human entertainment.
I will post tomorrow where to send public comments and emails about this issue.
"The Charreada consists of nine events for men and one for women, all involving horses, cattle, or both. These events are:
1. Cala de Caballo (Reining) - Rider forces horse to run quickly then orders it to stop as fast as possible. They generally hit the horse with a stick to get it to run. They also do a pivot on one leg turning one direction then the next. Easy to break their legs.
2. Piales en Lienzo (Heeling) - A mare must be heeled by throwing a lariat to catch its hind legs.
3. Colas en el Lienzo or Coleadero (Steer Tailing) - A rider pursues a high-speed chase on a running steer down a narrow track. The riders’ goal is to grab the cow by the tail, wrap it around their leg or stirrup, then drag or violently slam the steer to the ground, full force, by making sharp turns.
4. Jineteo de Toro (Bull Riding) - Rider tries to ride a wild bull. They sometimes taze or hit it to get it go buck out of the gate. Bulls can break their backs and legs.
5. Terna en el Ruedo (Team Roping) - Team roping event in which three charros on horseback attempt to rope a bull - one by its neck, one by its hind legs, and the last then ties its feet together all in a maximum time limit of 6 minutes. They violently yank the neck of the bull and throw it down on the ground.
6. Jineteo de Yegua (Bareback on a Wild Mare) - same as bull riding.
7. Manganas a Pie (Forefooting) - a charro on foot (pie) given three opportunities and eight minutes to rope a horse with his lasso by its front legs and cause it to fall and roll once.
8. Manganas a Caballo or (Forefooting on Horseback) - same as above but from horseback. This is more violent and stressful as the horse is lasso'd, neck yanked and it's violently thrown to the ground on its back.
9. El Paso de la Muerte (The Pass of Death) - The pass of death in Spanish consist of a charro riding bareback with reins attempting to leap from his own horse to the bare back of a loose, unbroken horse without reins and ride it until it stops running. The events gets its name from the high amount of risk of the performance if done incorrectly since this movement can be fatal for the person who executes it since they can fall under the animal and be trampled by the three other riders who herd the animal.
10. Escaramuza (A Precision Display of Equestrian Skill for Women) - The only female equestrian event in the Mexican charrerÃa. The escaramuza means "skirmish" and consists of a team riding horses in choreographed synchronized maneuvers to music. The women ride side-saddle and wear traditional Mexican outfit that include sombreros, dresses, and matching accessories. A team consists of 16 women, but only 8 ride at a time. The routine is practiced in a lienzo, or a circular arena. Some do dangerous maneuvers at high speed. Youngest is five years old.They do high speed heeling and use riding crops and sticks on the horses. Below is a photo of a woman doing high speed heeling.
Mary Cummins of
Animal Advocates is a
wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the
California Department of Fish and Game and the
USDA.
Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.
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