Uruguay | Lavalleja - Minas | Rodeo | Horsemeat import

Today we visit another rodeo, called “jineteada” in Uruguay. Again, the horses are tied to a wooden post and blindfolded until the rodeo starts. They are very frightened. One horse falls down once and another twice while tied to the post and trying to free themselves. When the rodeo starts and the blindfold is taken off, the rider kicks the horse with his spurs and another gaucho positioned behind the horse hits it hard with a whip to make it jump. We observe a horse that, in complete panic, runs into the spectators after throwing off the rider.

The holding pens are very crowded and some biting can be observed. We detect a horse that has bleeding scratches all over his side and a major cut on the flanks, probably from spurs. Another horse is in a deplorable condition, severely emaciated and with bleeding wounds in the face, on the hip bone and legs. Later, we observe that the weak mare breaks down in the overcrowded pen and gets caught underneath the fencing. Workers pull her out by her mane, legs and tail. Outside the pen, she is able to get back on her feet.

We talk to two workers of the rodeo who state that some rodeo horses end up in the slaughterhouses Clay or Sarel when they are old, but also if they break a leg or do not perform well. One of the workers says that two of eight young horses are sold for slaughter because they do not qualify for rodeo. If they do not pass the selection procedure, they cannot be sold for riding or work in the countryside because they are unbroken and distrustful of humans and thus they are sold for slaughter.

Horses used in “jineteadas” are severely abused during these events and when injured they are often unfit for transport to the slaughterhouse and should be euthanized on the spot.