Fans will be cheering wildly as the Brisbane Broncos take on the Dragons for the round 11 clash at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, and there’s no reason to subject Buck, the horse, to the stress of being a mascot.
No matter how much effort and training is put into “breaking” a horse, they’re prey animals with a strong fight-or-flight instinct, and it’s nearly impossible to desensitise their instincts. Too often, even horses trained to the standard of “military precision,” become spooked and run, injuring themselves and others when startled by loud noises, like pyrotechnics and fireworks, as well as sudden movements.
PETA is asking the Brisbane Broncos to retire Buck and move away from imagery such as bucking broncos, which glorifies rodeos.
The team could even adopt the name the “Brisbane Boomerangs” after the impressive Aboriginal weapon — a nod to the team’s fostering of Indigenous talent and commitment to equality.
Removing “real” Buck from the field is the best “conversion” the Broncos could make. Unlike real horses, the human inside the inanimate Buck costume can consent to running around a field in front of screaming fans, and no one is sitting on their back. Aside from the odd dry cleaning, Buck the costumed character doesn’t need anywhere near the level of care a real horse does.
Ditch the Rodeo
“Bucking bronco” imagery glorifies rodeos, one of Queensland’s cruellest and most backwards undertakings. During rodeos, humans use spurs, electric prods, and ropes to goad animals who are already stressed by confinement and travel to provoke their fight-or-flight response, just for human entertainment. Rodeos also put young, terrified calves at risk of serious injury and death during roping events, where frightened babies are “brought down” in whatever way possible. These animals are far from willing participants in such spectacles.