The death of a bucking horse that suffered a broken neck during a performance at the Gilroy Rodeo Aug. 8 has raised questions about animal safety protocols and injury reporting requirements.
The mare, known as +H6 Cow Palace, fell while bucking and broke her neck, according to multiple sources. Despite initial social media posts suggesting veterinarians were providing care, rodeo officials later claimed that no veterinary treatment was possible.
“Its death was instantaneous,” Rodeo President Erik Martin wrote in email correspondence with animal welfare group Action for Animals. “There was a veterinarian there at the time of the incident, but no treatment was able to be rendered, only confirmation of death.”
The incident has drawn scrutiny from animal rights advocates who point to discrepancies between the rodeo’s initial public statements and later private communications about the severity of the accident.
The Gilroy Rodeo’s initial Facebook post stated, “Veterinarians are providing expert care” and thanked “animal welfare partners for their swift and compassionate response in ensuring the horse received immediate care.”
An eyewitness to the incident disputes the claim that the horse’s death was instantaneous, describing seeing rodeo officials and a veterinarian respond quickly to tend to the horse.
The horse “definitely received vet care,” said the eyewitness who preferred to remain anonymous. “That was evident. What happened after leaving the arena I don’t know.”
“A vet and truck with trailer came out very fast to tend to the horse,” they said. “They lifted it into the trailer and left the arena. The rodeo staff were incredibly attentive and couldn’t have done more. They were supportive of the horse, rider and those watching. I was impressed on how they handled it.”
Eric Mills, founder of Action for Animals and a longtime critic of rodeo events, said the incident highlights ongoing animal welfare concerns in the sport.
“Rodeo is condemned for its inherent cruelty by nearly every animal welfare organization on the planet,” Mills said. He noted that similar events led to the outlawing of rodeo in the United Kingdom in 1934.
California Penal Code 596.7, which Mills helped pass in 1999, requires that injured rodeo animals receive immediate veterinary examination and treatment. The law also mandates that attending veterinarians submit injury reports to the Veterinary Medical Board within 48 hours of a rodeo’s conclusion.
According to the VMB, no report was filed within the 48 hour required window, with rodeo authorities claiming that because +H6 Cow Palace died instantly, no treatment was possible and therefore no injury report is required by state law.
Section 596.7 violations can include fines of $500-$2,000 for first infractions and $1,500-$5,000 for second or subsequent infractions.
The deceased mare was owned by Lone Oak Western Productions, a family-operated company run by Emily and Elliot French that specializes in bucking horse breeding, rodeo production and film work.
In a social media statement, the company described the horse as “more than just a valuable athlete to our program” and noted that her filly would be named in her honor.
The company has not responded to requests for comment about the incident.
The three-day rodeo, which sold out, continued after the Friday night incident. Arena Manager Stacie Roberts emphasized that such incidents are “extremely rare” while acknowledging the inherent risks involved in rodeo.
“We share in the sadness of the animal’s owner, our staff, and the community,” she said. “We remain committed to the responsible care of all animals involved in our events.”
The incident has reignited broader debates about the ethics of rodeo as entertainment. Critics argue that rodeo animals are subjected to stress-inducing practices including the use of bucking straps, electric prods and confinement that can lead to injuries.
“Rodeo tries to pass itself off as a sport—it is not,” Mills said. “Sport, by definition, requires equally-matched, willing contestants. Rodeo does not qualify.”
While injuries to horses are relatively rare at rodeo events, injuries to other animals, especially calves, are significantly more common, according to Mills, though these injuries typically go unreported.
“Calves are injured every time they’re roped or thrown,” he said. “And these are baby animals … quite often unweaned or weaned early, and under a lot of stress being separated from their mothers.”
Supporters counter that modern rodeo prioritizes animal welfare and that accidents, while tragic, are rare occurrences in a sport with deep cultural roots in the region’s agricultural heritage.
As the rodeo community processes this latest incident, questions remain about whether current safety protocols are adequate to protect the animal athletes that are central to the sport’s appeal and tradition.
