Broncos Buck as Carnival Ends : Simi Valley: Clear skies during five-day event help lure a record 25,000 visitors. Animal-rights activists show up too.

Simi Valley residents flocked to the city’s dusty fairgrounds Sunday for a final dose of cotton candy, bucking broncos and dizzying rides as the Simi Valley Days carnival and rodeo came to a close.

Thanks to clear skies throughout the five-day celebration, organizers estimated this year’s carnival drew a record 25,000.

“The weather’s been great, the crowd’s been great and we’re all thrilled,” carnival spokesman Wes Miller said. “The fact that people have really turned out for this shows what a strong sense of community there is in Simi Valley.”

The carnival and rodeo were part of a 12-day celebration of the city’s Western small-town heritage. Other events included a bowling tournament, chili cook-off, car show and beauty pageant.

The festivities conclude Wednesday with a charity golf tournament.

Sue Murphy and her two daughters attended the carnival Friday and returned Sunday afternoon.

“We live just around the corner and the kids love it, so why not?” said Murphy, watching her children enjoy five minutes of heart-sinking queasiness on a ride that spun like an roulette wheel run amok.

Murphy’s daughter Megan, 6, wobbled off the ride. “I feel sick,” she moaned.

Nearby, Kathryn Schenk tossed a baseball and toppled a fuzzy target, winning a blue-and-yellow polka-dot dinosaur.

“I work this same game at Magic Mountain,” she said sheepishly. “So I get a lot of practice.”

At a concession stand, carnival worker Lisa Stewart stared glumly at a shriveled hamburger patty before slathering it with ketchup.

“The food does not excite me,” Stewart said. “I’m sick of it.”

Mike Bennett, carrying a chili cheese dog and a beer, was more enthusiastic.

“When I get to the fair, this is where I come first,” he said. “It really gets you in the festival mood.”

Bennett said he planned to head for the festival rodeo. “It’s a great event,” he said. “It makes the summer last a little longer.”

Nearly 3,000 rodeo fans passed through a blockade of about 50 protesters stationed in front of the rodeo arena’s main entrance.

The animal-rights activists shouted at patrons as they purchased tickets for the event. “Stop the rodeo!” they yelled, carrying signs that read “Arrest Cowboys” and “Rodeos Hurt Animals.”

“We are not going to tolerate this kind of animal abuse,” said Simon Oswitch, vice president of Animal Emancipation, a Ventura-based animal-rights organization. “Anyone who holds a rodeo in Ventura County can expect major disturbances.”

Ten Simi Valley police officers equipped with helmets, batons and plastic handcuffs lined up nearby.

A handful of rodeo backers stood behind the protesters, holding signs with slogans in support of the event.

“They usually try to create a disturbance, but I see no animal abuse at all,” said Dan Bieker, an organizing chairman of the Elks Lodge, which sponsored the event. “I see football players getting hurt much worse than these animals.”

By the time the rodeo began, the protesters were gone and the bleachers full. The crowd cheered as the bucking bronco competition began.

Full-time rodeo cowboy Clayton Price burst from the gate, keeping one hand in the air and his feet below the bronco’s heaving shoulders for a full eight seconds.

“The first thing you learn when you’re in this business is respect for the animals,” said Price, who was declared bucking bronco champ. “This is my livelihood and treating the horses any other way would just be plain stupid.”