Rodeo operator opposes Lyon animal control amendment

YERINGTON - An amendment to Lyon County's animal control ordinance that would ban "horse tripping" and possibly "steer tailing" was proposed by Commissioner Larry McPherson.

However, Bob Rubis, of Tri County Rodeos, objected to some of the language, saying that "steer tailing" was a popular event at the nonsanctioned Mexican rodeos his organization promotes at the Dayton Valley Events Center.

He said "horse tripping" or the act of roping a horses hind legs while it is running, was not done at his events.

Rubis described steer tailing as an event in which a rider on horseback chases a steer and has a specific amount of room to grab the steer by the tail, pull the horse to the left and flip the steer. The rider who can flip the steer in the shortest distance is the winner.

He said there are not winnings in these rodeos, only the satisfaction of knowing they won.

Rubis said that was no more cruel than bulldogging, a sanctioned event in Professional Rodeo and Cowboy Association rodeos.

"There they grab the neck and twist them to bring them down," he said.

The section of the amendment that indicates animals could not be used for a target would not include roping, according to District Attorney Bob Auer.

"The intent is not to impair traditional rodeo functions," he said. "This would go toward something beyond rodeo functions. This was to ban horse tripping."

McPherson said Clark County has proposed an ordinance even stronger than the one he has proposed. He added that the animal control officers would define what constituted cruelty.

Commissioner Bob Milz said the county never saw the necessity to ban these actions before.

McPherson said a deputy who was handling security at a Mexican Rodeo in Dayton reported the activities as cruel.

"Just because he thinks it's cruel, is it?" Milz asked.

Rubis said the rodeos have no intention of hurting the animals, and that it cost $600 to replace an injured animal. He added that Mexican rodeos take place at several other arenas in Lyon County besides the Dayton Valley Events Center.

"This event started in the area when Spaniards came and has moved north, as far north as Canada," he said. "They're not doing anything that is that bad."

The commission will hold two public hearings on the amendment before it votes to approve or reject it. Other activities that would be banned by the amendment would include fighting animals, overworking animals and keeping animals in too-small crates.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 881-7351.