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The Whangarei District Court has found Matakohe dairy farmer Derek Robinson guilty of wilful ill treatment of an animal after using an electric prodder on two steers at a rodeo.
The offences took place at the Mid-Northern Rodeo in Maungatapere in two separate events in 2016 and 2017.
The animals were kneeling in a chute, waiting for a team roping competition, and were prodded in order to have them stand and enter the arena.
The court also found that Mr Robinson used his prodder unnecessarily on 22 other rodeo animals, although the court could not be certain whether the prodder was turned on.
The charges against Mr Robinson were filed as a private prosecution by the New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA).
It was the first ever rodeo prosecution in New Zealand.
An inspector for the Ministry of Primary Industries investigated the incident in 2017 and recommended a prosecution, however only a warning letter was issued.
The NZALA says it hopes that judgement by the Court will open the way for MPI to enforce animal welfare at rodeos.
Mr Robinson is yet to be sentenced.
