Within minutes of the Tribune uploading the 'Saddle up for Yass Rodeo' article and linking it to Facebook, it was condemned for promoting the 'torment of animals'.
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It was in the aftermath of Admire Rakti's heart failure at the Melbourne Cup and tensions were naturally high.
Most just vented their frustrations on social media (see below) but Karen Hill from Murrumbateman called the office requesting proper media attention.
"I've just had enough of these country towns promoting rodeos and the newspapers never do an article on the other side of them," she said on Friday.
"If you look at the majority of rodeos you'll find there's incidents of calves with broken legs, internal hemorrhaging, you'll find horses with injuries, and terribly stressed out and quite frightened animals in the aftermath. Now the organisers will disagree with what I'm saying but it's a fact."
Hill admitted to having no veterinary experience but was an avid dressage rider.
Her sentiments were echoed on Facebook with such comments as - "We've just had two horses killed by the racing industry and you reckon it's appropriate to publicise more exploitation of animals in a rodeo?" from Mike O'Shaughnessy; and "Stop tormenting animals for entertainment. It's wrong. It's cruel. You say it's not but it is. I have seen the animals are abused," wrote Carolyn Drew.
The Tribune then asked former vice president of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and Yass Valley local Peter Gibbs, who said the RSPCA had inspected the Yass Rodeo years ago and were happy with what they saw.
He sent through a link to the AVA's stance on rodeos, which reads - "Rodeos should be permitted only where there is appropriate legislative control to ensure the welfare of the animals involved. Such control must include a permit to operate a rodeo event underpinned by an enforceable code of practice that includes a requirement for a suitably experienced veterinarian to be involved in planning the event and to be present for the entire duration of the rodeo."
President of the Yass Rodeo Garry Scanes said they had local vet Stu Williams on call during the event and there were no injuries to stock.
"Since I've been involved I've only ever seen two accidents with horses and they were immediately and humanely dealt with," he said.
"All the stock is treated well, we're all animal lovers and no one wants to see an animal hurt."
One of the contractors at Saturday's rodeo, George Hempenstall, took it further.
"What would I say to people who think rodeos should be shut down because the animals are mistreated? I'd tell them they're uneducated and they don't live with animals," he said.
"We look after our bulls, they're our livelihood, our pets, our family.
"We live for them, we actually work for the bulls and they have it a lot better than we do."
Hempenstall has been taking bulls to the Yass Rodeo for two decades and said he's never had one injured in that time.
Carolyn Drew - "Stop tormenting animals for entertainment. It's wrong. It's cruel. You say it's not but it is. I have seen the animals are abused."
Mike O'Shaughnessy - "We've just had two horses killed by the racing industry and you reckon it's appropriate to publicise more exploitation of animals in a rodeo?!?! When are people like this going to understand that animals are not here for their pleasure or entertainment?"
Nicole Lobsey - "Sadly I don't think people are going to realize that anytime soon."
Anna Franklin - "Stop tormenting animals and stop using rpt hem for your entertainment!!!!!!!"