Ethics of The Calgary Stampede?

If you're a Canadian player you certainly are aware of this event. For those who haven't heard of it, the stampede is a large-scale rodeo event that takes place in Alberta annually. 

I'm growing increasingly frustrated with the blatant disregard of the animals' wellbeing at this event. It seems like every year I'm hearing news about injured or killed animals due to poor handling/dangerous events (i.e. calf-roping, calf wrestling, chuckwagon racing, incorrectly managed bronk events). 
I honestly don't believe that you can be a decent animal handler if you find these events entertaining. Watching a frightened animal be abused for our entertainment is absolutely repulsive.

Thought I would bring this up as the event is taking place currently and I'm interested in others opinions.

I know! What's sad is that a lot of horses are domesticated and friendly, perfect for riding, and they take these horses, scare them, and abuse them to the point where they bite anyone who comes near!

I honestly don't believe that you can be a decent animal handler if you find these events entertaining. Watching a frightened animal be abused for our entertainment is absolutely repulsive. This is so true! I mean, seriously, you take these innocent animals, and use them for so-called 'fun'? Ridiculous! Some people argue that the horses are already unfriendly and mean, but let's face it. It's kinder to just put them to sleep! I've heard of horses that killed many people, then were tamed with love and completely safe for young kids to ride! You choose to hurt these animals even more? Honestly, I can't stand this anymore.

(Sorry for this rant, I'm just so mad right now that they do this.)

Personally I rodeo, and still I don't agree with most of the stuff we do at rodeos.  I barrel race and pole bend, and I never, and never will whip or over spur my horses. 
I've also heard that the ground over there is super hard and un even, and that could also be a factor to all the injury's. Even last year, Fallon taylor had a bad slip, and because she's smart... she decided to end the run to make sure her horse was ok. 
But in other cases... A girl had the same fall, and continued to run her horse. her horse was limping out of the shoot.
If you know what goes on behind the scenes of rodeo (they do have videos on youtube) it is so sad.

I live 2 h away from Calgary, and refuse to go or support the stampede, last few years has been nothing but a money grabbing event with poor animals being abused or end up dying

I have only ever been to one rodeo, and it was one in Arizona. It was clearly a big event because they had a parade for it and everything, but it wasn't big to the extent of Calgary. When I went, I was completely shocked at the way they hit their horses with ropes to make them go faster.
I did feel real respect to the few riders that instead patted their horses' necks as a sign to gallop after the last barrel.

I really don't ever see myself using spurs or whips over sport. (I do use crops if a horse is really fighting me, but that's about it.)

The only time I really clapped my hands for a rider at the Calgary Stampede was when Fallon Taylor and Baby Flo slipped around the second barrel, and the first thing Fallon did was pat her mare and left the arena. Mad respect for that woman, no anger was shown during that moment.

I have refused to support the event in any way...and pretty much every rodeo as well. 
This is not to say that all Western riders treat their animals disrespectfully. Many members of my family are barrel racers and treat their horses like royalty, and I know that many western riders are just like them. I have total respect for any equestrian (regardless of discipline) as long as their horses are treated fairly, taken care of and are not pushed to extremes for the sake of winning an event. 

But honestly, at the stampede all I have ever witnessed over the years is animals being pushed and pushed and eventually succumbing to the stresses of the event. 

It makes me wonder about the veterinarians that the stampede has hired to clear the animals...I have worked with large animals for years and as a result of that have spent countless hours with veterinarians for cattle and performance horses and have yet to meet a single one who would ever be permissive of the things that take place at the stampede.

Generally speaking, I don't support rodeos. There are none where I live (in fact the only way to see one would be to actually leave my country) however from what I can see on tv, youtube videos, and just plain pictures, few of the top riders in the big competitions seem to care about their horses, and more care about winning. Whenever I watch one, and see someone displaying great horsemanship it always warms my heart. 

I did do a little research about the stampede, and from what I can see, it looks absolutely horrible, and I find it a shame that not only do so many people support this, but that so many people can't even see that they are abusing animals. 

I'm not a fan of rodeos. I couldn't do it after watching calf roping. And the flank straps they use to make horses buck (for the bronco events). If you aren't familiar with those, they are straps of leather that hang down on the horses' sides behind where the saddle would sit, and they are designed to tickle and cause irritation when the horse bucks, causing them to buck more. I watched a YouTube video where some rodeo riders removed the flank straps from a bronco and the horse instantly settled down a great deal.

I am European, so rodeo isn't part of our culture here. 
Unfortunately in southern France and Spain, bull fighting is still legal and even more cruel than rodeo.

I personally can not understand how it is okay to host these huge events where animals are so blatantly stressed or even abused. 
If someone would lasso a puppy, slam it down and tie it's paws it would cause an outrage and the perpetrator would be punished, yet do it to a calf and the crowds cheer? 

If I were to run up to a cow or a bull in a meadow, torture it with spikes, stab it with a sword and finally jam a knife in the back of his skull I would be rightfully punished, publicly shamed and never be allowed to own an animal again. But do this in a Spanish arena and somehow it's "sport" and "a cultural event".
Sickening. 

i'm wanting to get into trick riding and barrels, but I also don't support the way that some people treat the animals. on the other hand, I also don't believe the rodeos should be shut down, because there's also rodeo people who take awesome care of their animals and they deserve to be able to continue doing rodeos. applying more rules and regulations at rodeos would really help this cause.