Sydney's 2026 Royal Easter Show begins on 2 April, and each night from 2-7 April will feature rodeo events.  

Hundreds of thousands of people visit this huge event every year, and many of them will never have been to a rodeo before.  Many of them will be children.  And the Royal Agricultural Society, which insists that exhibitors at the show be "family friendly", allows these unquestionably cruel spectacles night after night.

Children watching these events are learning that it's okay to torment peaceful herd animals into unnatural behaviours, with tight flank straps, spurs and electric prods.  

Let's be clear:  New South Wales law defines the activities involved in rodeos as cruel, but provides an exemption from prosecution for these cruel acts for rodeo operators.  HOW CAN THAT BE JUSTIFIED?

The starting point for change is for rodeo operators to be made more accountable.  They must be required to report the deaths and injuries of animals used in rodeos, such as the poor horse at last year's Easter Show, which sparked this petition.

I'm calling on all you wonderful supporters to:

• share this petition as widely as possible;
• contact the responsible Minister yourself: tara.moriarty@parliament.nsw.gov.au and demand more public accountability from rodeo operators, such as animal injury and death statistics;
• contact the Sydney Royal Easter Show callcentre@eastershow.com.au and tell them that rodeos are NOT "family friendly"; and
• never attend a rodeo.

Thank you for standing up for animals.

And many thanks to Animal Liberation for the photo above, taken at the 2025 Royal Easter Show, after a horse was injured, most likely killed.  For people's entertainment.  This must end.