We respectfully request that you immediately retract QANTAS Credit Union and Darling Harbour Novotel (Accor) support for the PBR Bull Riding National Event to be hosted on Saturday 11 July, 2015 at Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney. The sport of bull riding is primitive, outdated and inherently cruel.

QANTAS:

We have reviewed QANTAS Company Policies on community sponsorship and feel that this event is NOT in line with QANTAS company values (https://qantas.versaic.com/Login.aspx):

"Qantas will not support individuals, groups, organisations, events or activities (including but not limited to) which,
- may damage or bring disrepute to the Qantas Group;
- are detrimental to the Qantas Brand Values or business aims;
- are currently being sponsored by a competitor of Qantas;
- are aligned to Political campaigns and legislative lobbying efforts;
serve religious purposes;
- are directly involved or implicated in the unethical treatment of animals;
- request direct donations / grants to individuals, groups or teams for personal interests;
- support fundraising appeals e.g. fetes, trivia nights, auctions, undertaken by individuals, groups, clubs, societies, schools, churches, or community organisations;
- give donations to Foundations that aim to pass on the funding to other not-for-profit organisations;
- involve retrospective or deficit funding, e.g. funding of past activities, loan repayments, operational deficits; and
- involve hazardous, dangerous or unsafe activities or pose a threat of any nature

Contact: QANTAS Sponsorship Team - sponsorship@qantas.com.au

ACCOR HOTELS:
The event is also publically supported by Novotel Darling Harbour, as part of the Accor Hotel Group, as their 'Official Hotel of the PBR', as well as the Pumphouse Bar (on site) as the 'Official Afterparty'.

If you would like to request that Novotel Darling Harbour and the Pumphouse Bar withdraw their public support for the Bull Riding Nationals, you can contact:

David Sude - Hotel Manager, Rockford Darling Harbour Novotel -
david.sude@rockfordhotels.com.au

Luisa Leonello - Events Manager, Rockford Darling Harbour Novotel - luisa.leonello@rockfordhotels.com.au 

Gaurav Bhushan - Chief Development and Investment Officer Asia Pacific, Accor Hotels
gaurav.bhushan@accor.com

>WHY

The "sport" of bull riding has been openly condemned by every Animal Welfare organisation in Australia. Due to cruelty, rodeos are completely banned in Britain and in parts of Europe and United States. The organisers of this event have claimed that it is "not a rodeo", referring to the absence of other 'rodeo' events. However, we are all aware that bull riding is an event central to both the rodeo culture and the abhorrent treatment of bulls.

RSPCA - "RSPCA Australia is strongly opposed to rodeos because of the potential for significant injury, suffering, distress or even death to the animals involved. Where rodeos are permitted to be conducted, RSPCA Australia advocates the adoption of compulsory registration and licensing. Compliance with national standards for the management, housing and transport of rodeo animals must be made a condition of licensing." - http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-the-RSPCA-view-on-rodeos_239.html

ANIMALS AUSTRALIA - "Bull riding involves releasing a bull from an enclosure called a bucking chute, and the rider holds on by one hand for as long as possible while the bull attempts to 'buck' them off. A flank strap is pulled tightly around the bull's sensitive organs, which makes him buck unnaturally when released from the chute.

In addition, rodeo assistants routinely use hand held electric prods on the bulls as the chute gate opens — and so further driving the bulls to buck wildly as they emerge. A Chicago rodeo organiser is quoted as saying, "Bulls today have been bred to be docile. You can't make an animal buck if you don't do something to it'." - http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/rodeos.php

CORPORATE DISOWNERSHIP:
Previously we've seen sponsorship and support withdrawn from large Corporate players as a result of the negative image and cruelty surrounding both Bull Riding and Rodeo events throughout Australia.
Kmart publically withdrew sponsorship of a rodeo only a couple of years ago: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/animal-activists-claim-win-after-kmart-untethers-rodeo-support/story-e6frg6nf-1226415079402

DISABILITY AND INJURY:

Every year, thousands of riders are severely injured partaking in bull riding - many are permantly paralysed. A study into the nature of rodeo related injuries in central QLD hospitals found "Thirty-eight patients were admitted during the study. Injuries increased from 2008. The most common injuries were to limbs (52%), chest (15%) and brain (10%). Life- threatening injuries were all caused by a direct kick or trampling by the bull; 5% of patients needed air transfer to Brisbane, and 10% to Rockhampton for their acute care. The only complication was infection of open wounds. The average hospital stay was 2.2 (range= 1-5, SD= 1.1) days and 64% of patients required operative intervention." - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3413003/

>WHO:

QANTAS Australia Board Of Directors
Leigh Clifford, AO - Chairman and Independent Non-Executive Director
Alan Joyce – Chief Executive Officer
Maxine Brenner BA, LLB - Independent Non-Executive Director
Richard Goodmanson - BCom, BEc, MBA, MCE - Independent Non-Executive Director
Jacqueline Hey - BCom, Grad Cert (Mgmt), GAICD - Independent Non-Executive Director
William Meaney - BScMEng, MSIA - Independent Non-Executive Director
Paul Rayner - BEc, MAdmin, FAICD - Independent Non-Executive Director
Todd Sampson - MBA, BA(Hons)
Barbara Ward, AM - BEc, MPolEc - Independent Non-Executive Director
QANTAS Executive team
Robert Marcolina - Group Executive Strategy, Transformation and IT
Jon Scriven - Group Executive Human Resources
Olivia Wirth - Group Executive Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs

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Professional Bull Riders - National Finals
http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=PROBULLQ15
Venue: Qantas Credit Union Arena (formerly: Sydney Entertainment Centre), NSW
Date: Sat 11 Jul 2015 7:30pm
http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=PROBULLQ15#LWoivGJtpVDv1U7Z.99