Ups, Downs and Rights : Rodeo at County Fair Attracts Riders, Fans and Animal Activists

Rodie Cox is a brave man. Since he joined the rodeo 16 years ago, he has had a three-inch skull fracture, 50 stitches in his face and a fractured wrist.

The last injury ended his career as a bull rider, but his new job isn’t any easier. Where he once rode one or two bucking bulls per rodeo, the 150-pound rodeo clown now faces at least 60 of the 2,000-pound beasts each weekend with only a flack jacket and his quick feet as protection, he said Saturday between shows at this weekend’s rodeo at the 98th annual Orange County Fair.

“I’ve been fighting bulls since I was 14,” said Cox, 30, looking like a railroad hobo in his tattered jeans, maroon knee pads, high-top football cleats and white cowboy hat.

But not everyone shares Cox’s love for the rodeo. More than a dozen animal rights supporters, protesting that the rodeo inflicts “unnecessary cruelty to animals,” silently demonstrated outside the fairgrounds gate while a near-capacity crowd watched the event in the 7,000-seat rodeo arena Saturday afternoon.

The event featured 587 rodeo cowboys and cowgirls participating in such events as bulldogging, in which a cowboy jumps from his horse, grabs the horns of a steer and attempts to slam the animal’s horns to the ground in the fastest possible time.

Other events included bareback horse riding, trick riding and, of course, the dangerous bull-riding event, featuring riders atop bulls ranging from 1,400 to 2,000 pounds.

Calling it “the only truly American sport,” rodeo producer Brad Young said California is the ideal place for rodeos.

“This year we’re two rodeos ahead of Texas,” he said.

Although it’s the only professional rodeo in the county, members of Orange County People for Animals think it is one too many. A handful of protesters stood outside the fair gates carrying signs bearing the message “Rodeos Are Cruel To Animals.”

“Most people think the animals are behaving in a natural manner when they buck and run,” said Ava Park, the founder of group. “We’re out here trying to raise the awareness of people of what actually goes on at a rodeo.”

Among the common rodeo practices that anger the protesters are the use of electric cattle prods, called “hot shots,” and bucking straps that are cinched around the animals’ abdomen near the genitals.

In an attempt to inform the public about these practices, the protesters planned to pass out thousands of questionnaires at the final rodeo show Saturday night to test fans’ “rodeo I.Q.” Several questions pointed out the alleged abuses and said that the rodeo was created only for show, not as necessary practice for cowboys to hone their skills.

“The rodeo is an accepted sport,” responded fair spokeswoman Jill Lloyd. “We don’t feel we’re doing anything here that constitutes cruelty. We’re providing something that the public wants to see.”

Today is the final day of this year’s fair, which has the theme “Very, Berry Extraordinary.” Gates open at 10 a.m and close at midnight.

As of 6 p.m. Saturday, overall fair attendance stood at 464,433, ahead of last year’s attendance.