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The Warkworth Rodeo has been given the green light to run for another year, after the Rodney Local Board approved the event last month.
The Anti Rodeo Action group made a presentation to the Local Board in September calling for it to deny the Warkworth Rodeo Club landowner approval for the event, which is held on Auckland Council-owned land.
The group said the Rodeo Club again breached animal welfare regulations at this year’s rodeo and it has an active complaint with the Ministry for Primary Industries, which is still being investigated.
Club member Gary Jackson also presented to the Board and rubbished the group’s claims.
“Our members know if they cross the code they will be in serious trouble,” Mr Jackson said.
He said a member of the club’s committee had been harassed and intimidated by the group, who called on him to cease support for the rodeo.
The decision to approve the rodeo was made while the Board was in recess for the election.
The decision was delegated to then Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee chair Beth Houlbrooke, who opted to approve the application rather than wait until the newly-elected Board’s first meeting this month.
Ms Houlbrooke said a decision had to be made urgently so the Rodeo Club could start planning for next year’s event.
“It’s still a real community event up here that supports a lot of other organisations with their fundraising and I didn’t want to pull the rug out from under them,” Ms Houlbrooke said.
“The new Board will have the opportunity to reconsider the event permit next year.”
Anti Rodeo Action member Lynn Charlton said she was surprised and disappointed that the Board approved the permit.
“No community board in receipt of this kind of information should allow an event to go ahead on Council-owned land,” Ms Charlton said.
