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Dear Friends, It's been a little over a month since the Illinois High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) rodeo finals in Springfield, Illinois.� Since then we’ve spent more time than I could keep track of reviewing video and pictures from thirteen long performances. My daughter Eva called the performances “three hour advertisements”, because the rodeo announcers just droned on and on and on hawking sponsors’ products and services. That works out to about forty hours of rodeo, and we tried to have at least two videocams for each performance.� We also shot quite a number of still pictures, so We needed every videocam and still camera we could get our hands on, because the rodeo thugs tried harder than I have ever seen before to hide their use of the electric prod and other methods to incite and torment their animal victims. I expect they were successful much of the time.� But not ALL the time. In fact, we documented enough animal abuse for a whole rodeo season. There is an enormous amount of evidence to review, but we do have many new photos from NHSRF up on our website at IllinoisCorruption.com.
So what kinds of abuse did SHARK videotape?� This is just a partial list of what our nonhuman friends endured: The abuse included extensive use of the electric prod, even though a veterinarian for the high school rodeo association promised in a newspaper article that there would be no electric prods on the arena grounds.� Predictably, that was a lie.� There were other lies also, but then, that just what rodeo people do: abuse animals and lie about it. Animals were secretly stuck with sharp wires and other pointed objects. At least the rodeo thugs thought they were keeping it a secret.� Calves were jerked down.� A jerkdown is a technique used by contestants to get a good score.� The problem is that it is life-threatening to the calf.� For that reason it is a violation of rodeo "humane rules," but since those rules exist for public relations purposes only, jerkdowns happen regularly.� The Illinois Ag Department allowed calves to be roped by any means necessary.� That means that if a calf was roped by a leg, which could cause a serious or fatal injury, so be it.� Calves were dragged by the neck after having their legs tied.� Imagine what that would be like! Small goats were run over by 1200 pound horses because the Department refused our advice to put a chalk marker around the perimeter of where the goats would run in a panic to get away from their tormentors.� This occurred in an event called "Goat Tying," an activity that is so stupid I hardly know how to describe it.� A goat that is already tethered to a rope is approached by a girl on a galloping horse.� She jumps off the horse, throws the tethered goat down and ties its legs.� It's a little like tackling someone who is already in handcuffs.�Just when you think rodeo idiots can't possibly be more stupid or cruel, they show up with something like goat tying! Besides the abuse of buck straps that drive horses nuts, intense spurring and the regular use of the electric prods, horses were regularly hit in the face to make them exit the chutes.� All this abuse occurred because they didn't want to buck or have any part of this celebration of morons. Sand was deliberately thrown in the eyes of some animals.� The twisting and pulling of tails, something that was explicitly banned by the Department years ago, was allowed, and rodeo thugs took full advantage. Not surprisingly, there were plenty of injuries among the victims.� Numerous steers left the arena on three legs.� One bull hobbled out after a leg injury.� One calf was badly hurt, and was still allowed to hobble out just so that the Rodeo Mafia could claim that they didn't stretcher any animal out. Photos and video of these abuse can be seen on our site here. However, while we have added new photos, we are still in the process of getting even more photos and video up. Astounding just how much cruelty can exist at one rodeo!
In this close up photo, a horse has just been shocked near the face at the NHSRF--against not only the guidelines of the Hot-Shots's manufacturer's but the regulations of the rodeo and the state of Illinois's laws. It is unbelievable that all of this abuse occurred on the same property of the Department of Agriculture's headquarters.� The Department is supposed to enforce the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act, and instead these cruel and incompetent bureaucratic bunglers partnered with the Rodeo Mafia. There's just one problem for rodeo and its supporters in the Ag Department, and it is called SHARK.� We will use the video and still picture documentation we shot from here to doomsday to expose everyone who was involved in this outrageous abuse.� I am counting on you to stand up for the victims of these crooks. I hope you will write a letter or E-mail to Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke expressing your protest over the illegal abuse of animals on the same property that houses the Department's headquarters.� Please demand a response and also demand that the Department keep your letter as part of the record on this shameful matter.� The Department will have to hold your letter in their public files, and make the files available to other people who want to research the history of these bureaucratic crooks.� I want the state of Illinois to forever carry the scar of what it allowed to happen.�
Director Chuck Hartke Fax: (217) 785-4505 We are still assembling the important parts into a cohesive presentation, but things are coming along.� The rodeo thugs tried to intimidate some investigators, but we turned the tables on them by focusing some of our videocams on ourselves from across the arena.� The videocams recorded the unsuccessful efforts of rodeo thugs to distract us from our jobs.
This terrorized baby goat has his face slammed in the dirt, like every other goat during the Goat Tying events at NHSRF. In a few days I expect we’ll hold the first of what may be a couple/few press conferences to expose the high school rodeo finals for the animal abusers they are.� Everyone attached to these jerks are going to get painted with the same brush, including the crooked governor of Illinois, the incompetent, uncaring, and impotent bureaucrats at the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the rodeo’s corporate sponsors, and of course, our good friends in the FBI (Federal Bureau of Idiots). Speaking of Governor Rod Blagojevich, he still hasn’t bothered to respond at all to the good people contacting his office about the rodeo. This guy has been bucking a lot of charges of corruption in his administration. Let’s hope that if the claims are true, that this guy gets his just desserts. Meanwhile, please contact Governor Blagojevich’s office again and demand that he state his position.� His office owes a duty to the public to look at our evidence.� The rodeo he supported committed dozens and dozens of violations of the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act, and it is his duty to see to it that the law is enforced.� Blagojevich would love for this issue to go away, but the high school rodeo finals will return to Illinois next July, and I want this controversy to continue and grow between now and then. In addition to our documentation of extensive cruelty, we have another weapon to use on the governor and rodeo thugs.� The attendance at the finals was down over ten percent from when it was last in Illinois in 2001.� The hard fact is that the rodeo lost money--taxpayers’ money. � But the crooks in Illinois government won’t do the right thing, at least not without a lot of “help” from us.� So we will continue to expose the truth for as long as it takes.� Please contact the governor’s office and demand that he state his position.
Now I simply MUST make a very exciting announcement regarding our FBI friends. About a week and a half after the conclusion of the high school rodeo finals, some of us attended the Animal Rights 2006 Conference.� There I was able to talk to Dan Piraro, animal activist and creator of the syndicated and wildly popular Bizarro comic strip. Ever since the FBI made the nonsensical claim about having information that SHARK was going to release rodeo animals at the high school rodeo finals, I had an idea for a cartoon, but I have a tough time drawing stick people.� Dan Piraro was the man who could bring the idea to life. I asked him if he would be willing draw my idea.� Of course, Dan had the talent to make the idea much more than what I had come up with.� To my great joy, Dan said he would draw the cartoon.� I was beside myself. Now the cartoon is a reality.� Beside including it in this update, we have it on our IllinoisCorruption.com web site, and it will show up in other places as well. We may well come up with some T-shirts.� Dan Piraro graciously told us we could use it any way that we wished, and we thank him for his activism, and his kindness to us.� If the FBI is going to act like a bunch of clowns, it shouldn’t mind being the butt of a joke. Click here to read more about SHARK and FBI bumbling.
It has also been almost a month since the groundbreaking article that exposed massive cruelty and fraud at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo.� The Rodeo Mafia has taken a familiar approach to this expose--it has gone silent.� These animal terrorists operate just like terrorists in other parts of the world.� They commit their crimes--in this case against animals.� Then, when they are exposed and held accountable, they go into hiding. The Cheyenne article exposed the utter lack of enforcement of rodeo humane rules, which SHARK has talked about for years. Additionally, the article quoted rodeo thugs making comments that showed their true feelings about rodeo animal victims-- feelings of contempt and complete domination for nonhumans. The Rodeo Mafia is in hiding for now, waiting for the storm of outrage to subside following the Cheyenne article. If they had even half a desire to be decent people they would take strong and immediate steps to clean up their act.� Instead, they just go into hiding.
From the proud SHARK Team: After years of non-stop work to defend our animal friends, Steve Hindi’s efforts have been forever immortalized. This year at the annual animal rights conference, AR 2006, Steve was honored and inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Steve Hindi is a one of kind.� Over the years, he has not so much carved his niche in animal protection, as he has blasted it. His freight-train determination, tireless spirit, and no- nonsense attitude make him a unique asset to the animal rights movement.� We, as warriors in the same fight, and animals everywhere are lucky to have Steve Hindi on the front lines. As a "sportsman," Steve hunted many species of animals both on land and in the sea. He killed for thirty years until the life-shattering day in 1989 when, en route to a shark hunting trip in the Atlantic Ocean, he attended the infamous Hegins Labor Day pigeon shoot in Pennsylvania. The slaughter of thousands of nonhuman victims, and the involvement of children in the horrific killings, was too much for him to tolerate. He vowed to stop pigeon shoots, and went on to dedicate his life to ending the abuse of all animals.� Compassion, not killing, became his life goal. As the founder of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK), Steve’s organization has been documenting and exposing rodeos, hunting, bullfights, and other forms of animal abuse since 1993.� SHARK has dedicated supporters around the globe. SHARK receives no government funding and relies soley on donations and grants to work on issues ranging in scope from local to worldwide. Steve's number one tool is video footage, and no one does video quite like SHARK.� Using hidden video, long range video, and even video cameras that see in the dark, SHARK leaves no place for animal abusers to hide. This award- winning video footage is supplied to local, national and international media, lawmakers, courts and other animal advocacy organizations.� � In 2000 Steve designed and engineered the creation of� “The Tiger Truck” -� an� impressive and revolutionary tool for the animal movement. �The Tiger has four high-mounted, one hundred inch video screens that when prowling the streets makes cries of animal victims inescapable.� Armed with cameras to shoot and the Tiger to expose Steve believes he has some of the best ammunition in the fight against animal cruelty.� � With a small core of volunteers, and an even smaller set of staff, SHARK battles tirelessly against rodeos, bullfighting, pigeon shoots, turkey shoots, canned hunts (and all hunting), circuses, zoos, and marine parks... any issue that involves violation of the innate rights of living creatures.
This miserable horse just wants away from his tormenters in the chutes at the NHSRF. Cherie Travis, animal activist, lawyer and head of the humane society, People and Animals in Community Together (PACT) asks that we publicize the following: The Illinois Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the DePaul College of Law, is offering Humane Investigator Training and Exam on: Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2006Location: DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago (very near to Union and Northwestern train stations). More information can be found at: http:// www.pacthumanesociety.org/hi.htm. Now folks, you’ve probably gotten the idea by now that I think the Department of Agriculture is lower than dirt.� But that is all the more reason why decent and caring people need to take part in helping to enforce the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act.� I hope those of you who live in Illinois will strongly consider attending this conference and becoming approved humane investigators.
Shocking Law violated at California Rodeo. Link to the TV news story is here:http://www.keyt.com/news/local/ 3515536.html SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) - An animal rights activist said electric cattle prods were used during the annual Fiesta rodeo, a violation of state law. Jolinda Hackett, who runs the Web site http:// www.vegsantabarbara.com a guide for the city's vegetarians and vegans, said she was in the stands during Saturday's rodeo when she noticed use of the prod on cattle in chutes. "I think someone broke the law. It's been documented, and I would hope Animal Control would forward these charges to the district attorney's office," Hackett said, noting she videotaped use of the prods. Hackett said she also witnessed "a number of other abuses," including a cow being kicked in the head and a bull with a bloody, infected wound in place of a sheared-off horn. Celebrated country/blues artist says in Idaho newspaper: “Ban rodeo” This is one to forward to friends! “Horse's death will spur debate" Link to story damning horse’s death at rodeo in Canada: http:// web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals-code/list.cgi? cat=48&paper=15&id=718368 Must-read article about hog dog rodeos published in Houston and Dallas media: Hog Wild: Feral pigs are ugly, destructive, and mean. Some people in Texas love to trap, stab, or shoot them. Or put them in rodeos. With dogs. http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/ 2006-08-24/news/feature.html Country singer shot penned animal, doctored video, officials say. Troy Gentry, half of country music duo Montgomery Gentry, is accused of killing a tame black bear that he bought and then claiming that the bear was killed in the wild. http:// www.hendersonvillestarnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20060817/NEWS03/608170422 Engaging in animal cruelty is nothing new to this country singer, as Montgomery Gentry routinely supports abuse by playing at rodeos around the country. The deplorable Cheyenne Frontier Days, Austin Rodeo in Texas, Tri-State Rodeo in Iowa, Bootheel Rodeo in Missouri, San Antonio Rodeo in Texas, and, of course, at the Illinois State Fair and Rodeo. Just goes to show that those involved with rodeos have no respect or care for animal life, whether in or out of that arena.�
A calf mercilessly abused at the Cheyenne Frontier Days. Remember that your efforts and support are what keep SHARK going. If only our budget were larger, we could hire more investigators and work harder to shut down the rodeo industry sooner. Your donations are always needed and appreciated. Click Here to DonateThank You for all your support!
Kindest Regards,
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