FARMINGTON -- Russians won't be the only visitors at Tuesday's rodeo in Farmington, slated as a "cultural event" in honor of the Moscow-Utah Youth Winter Games. And they certainly won't be dressed like the "other" visitors: giant cows and horses.
Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) plan to protest the rodeo -- an event they contend is needlessly cruel to animals; but their desire to voice their opinions has them locking horns with a Farmington city ordinance.
That ordinance says that protest permits require a 10-day notice. PETA says it learned of the event Thursday.
As of press time, PETA was not sure whether Farmington would grant its permit. Either way, Sean Diener, a campaign liaison with PETA, said PETA plans to be there.
The protest will include "many" people, posters and a "giant" horse and cow. Diener defined "giant" as human-size. PETA will use a Russian translator to change phrases such as, "Animals are not sports equipment," and "Rodeo: cruelty for a buck," from English into Russian.
"It is definitely geared to them (the Russians)," Diener said. "We want them to know that most Americans are against animal cruelty. We want them to know that we're embarrassed."
Unrelated to the PETA protest, rodeo organizers have dropped calf roping as an event, fearing that it might be offensive.
During last Tuesday's County Commission meeting, Commissioner Dannie McConkie said that calf roping can be a bit intense for first-time viewers.
"For those who have not seen calf roping before, it can be a bit shocking," he said. During calf roping, calves at full run are lassoed, abruptly stopped and tied. The faster cowboys can do this, the more points they earn.
Lewis Feild, winner of three world all-around rodeo titles and producer of the event, has said the main reason calf roping will be absent is that, at this time of the year, the calves are too big.
However, he also voiced concern for the "look" of calf roping.
"I didn't want to do anything that might be offensive to these (Russian) kids," he said.
Diener was shocked to hear of the concern, but was pleased. "That surprises me that they admitted that," Diener said. In addition to calf roping, PETA is protesting the use of lassos, bucking straps, and the steer wrestling event.
Diener believes that rodeo is a poor choice for giving the Russian visitors a "taste of the West," as McConkie has said. He believes that, perhaps, square dancing, Western music, and art from Native Americans would be more appropriate.
Rodeo, according to Diener, is not authentic. "Calf roping is not done anywhere on the range," Diener said, "so I really can't say that it's appropriate."