Suffering for entertainment: a closer look at the events of Quebec rodeos

Investigations

Suffering for entertainment: a closer look at the events of Quebec rodeos

October 1st, 2026

Footage from rodeos held in Quebec shows the suffering caused for the sake of simple entertainment. Young, terrified calves are chased at full speed, violently roped, then slammed to the ground. All for a show.

In 2026, how can we justify making animals suffer for entertainment?

These images take us into the arena, where the real story of rodeo unfolds. They show two of the cruelest events at these rodeos: calf roping and steer wrestling. These practices cause fear, pain and violence in the name of entertainment, yet they are not prohibited by Quebec’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which is responsible for protecting animals:

Calves are released alone into the arena and chased at full speed on horseback before being caught with a lasso and forcibly restrained on the ground;
Others are violently thrown to the ground by twisting their necks 180 degrees or by a forceful body hold;
Every time, animals are subjected to fear, stress and violent handling, and forcibly exposed to the risk of serious injury or even death. In May 2024, a steer died during a steer wrestling event at the Saint-Tite Western Festival.

The images

⚠️ Warning: The images that follow are difficult to watch. But they are real.

They were captured at rodeos held in Quebec and show what really happens behind what is presented to us as entertainment.

These images do not document an isolated case or the misconduct of a single organizer: they show the normal course of events at this type of event. And these events take place every year in several municipalities across Quebec, in front of thousands of people.

Two events, one cruelty

Calf roping

Images captured at a rodeo in Quebec in 2026

A calf is released alone into the arena, chased at full speed on horseback, caught by a lasso around the neck and stopped by strangling its trachea, then immobilized on the ground. All in a matter of seconds—and repeated dozens of times per evening.

Steer wrestling

Images captured at a rodeo in Quebec in 2026

A steer is chased, grabbed, then slammed to the ground by twisting its neck. Beyond the immediate fear and pain, these practices expose animals to serious risk of injury.

Practices already banned or regulated elsewhere

Around the world, entire countries or cities have already chosen to ban the worst rodeo practices—or rodeo altogether, given the serious concerns these events raise about animal respect and welfare.

If other communities have already made this choice, the question remains: why should Quebec’s animals deserve less than others?

Why a second investigation into the rodeo?

In October 2025, our first investigation into rodeos showed stressed and terrified animals being handled in the arena, as well as violations of the brand-new Quebec Rodeo Code of Practice, just a few weeks after it was published.

Since then, nothing has changed: the same events continue to be presented as entertainment, putting animals’ lives at risk and causing them suffering and stress simply to amuse crowds. A legal action involving rodeos is still underway in Quebec, launched by the organization Droit Animalier Québec, which accuses the Quebec government of failing to address this problem.

This time, the footage focuses on two events involving young cattle—calf roping and steer wrestling—because, on their own, they sum up what rodeo costs animals: a few seconds of spectacle in exchange for fear, pain, injuries and, sometimes, even death.

The situation is clear: our government lacks the courage to uphold the simple values shared by the vast majority of Quebecers, and the code of practice published to regulate these activities is nothing more than a way to pretend to take action when, in reality, nothing is really changing. Everyone knows that animals are not toys or objects that can be stressed, tortured or injured for pleasure. And yet, they continue to be violently thrown to the ground in a stressful, noisy environment, or even have their necks twisted for the amusement of a crowd.

So it’s up to us to act where public authorities have failed. These animals need us.

What we ask for

Cruelty in the name of entertainment has had no place in Quebec for a long time. That’s why we are calling on:

the municipalities that host rodeos to stop supporting, funding or authorizing such events in their communities;
the Government of Quebec to prohibit the use of animals in rodeos and events that subject them to practices that may cause them fear, injury or suffering;
everyone to recognize that rodeo animals are sentient beings with interests of their own, not props in a show.

BESA has nothing against festivals that bring life to our countryside, or Western culture or country music. We simply oppose cruelty to animals, the suffering inflicted on them without any necessity, and the disregard for the fundamental needs that animals share with us. Their suffering should never be a game.

📣 Time for action!

Your voice matters most. Municipalities that host rodeos have the power to put an end to these practices in their communities — and they listen to the voices of Quebecers.

✉️ Email your municipal elected representatives

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Would you like to do more?

Whether you reduce your consumption of animal products or use your passion and talents to defend their rights, there are plenty of ways to help animals in Quebec.

Discover the best ways to take action easily and at your own pace for animals!