Welcome to the official website for Victoria Citizens Against Rodeo Events (VCARE). We hope you find the information on our site both educational yet disturbing, disturbing enough to join the cause.
Each year, on the May long weekend, the rodeo comes to town. It is hosted at the Luxton Fairgrounds in Langford, a suburb of Victoria BC. This is a privately run event open to the public and hosted on lands owned by the Metchosin Farmer’s Institute. It is supported and promoted by The City of Langford on their website and by banners placed throughout the municipality. The Luxton Pro Rodeo is sanctioned and or approved by The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and World and Canadian Cowboys. The events held are:
- Saddle and bareback bronc riding
- Bull riding
- Tie down roping aka calf roping
- Steer wrestling
- Ladies barrels
- Team roping
- Mutton bustin’
- Boot scramble
VCARE has been working since 2012 to make changes and ensure the most inhumane events held are removed from this rodeo. Please see the additional info on about us page for more details.
FACT – animals are injured and die at rodeos across North America every year
FACT – experts such as the SPCA, Vancouver Humane Society, Equine Veterinarians and animals behaviourists agree these events cause undue fear, anxiety and risk of injury and death
FACT – rodeos are for entertainment only
FACT – Victoria does not have a ranching heritage
FACT – WE WILL MAKE CHANGE
Photos on this page were taken a the Luxton Pro Rodeo in 2013 by Matthew Wolfe.
Authorized by Melissa de Meulles, registered sponsor under LECFA, 250-883-6562
noluxtonrodeo.com 
Surely “entertainment” has evolved PAST the point of causing great injury and death to animals.
It’s too bad the Luxton rodeo wasn’t willing to adapt or even talk about change, things could have been different if they didn’t respond by saying they don’t get involved in that kind of crap! Meaning animal cruelty issues, talk about Neanderthal!!
since when are rodeos a sport?
since it brings in money and the title, sport, justifies the event. Sickening, isn’t it?
Imagine if they did this to their own dogs for entertainment at the rodeo. The very same people would be outraged.
Thank you for doing this! And hopefully you will succeed in ending this cruel “entertainment”. Some people seem to live in the past and enjoy a rodeo like then the people enjoyed a gladiator game. Both are f…..g stupid and empty in the heart and the head.
To be completely void of empathy for the animals subjected to this cruel, inhumane treatment, and to consider it entertainment is simply barbaric.
Shame on those involved and shame on those who support it.
Thank you for your perseverance VCARE – you will be successful.
Yes, we all sincerely hope that VCARE will be successful!
This cruel and inhumane treatment of animals must be stopped.
I pray VCARE will be successful!
How do we speak up against this.. So cruel and inhumane
See the page on our website called ‘how to help’ for more info! Are you in Victoria? Demonstrate with us!
Nasty and cruel exercise in mans’ labeling something this sad as a cultural fact that is utilized as a cultural necessity to our personal egos. Stop this yesterday.
Rodeos are an example of how far human evolution has come!!! If this is what some (humans ??) find entertaining and fun, it speaks volumes about their enormous lack of the qualities that are supposed to define us as humans! My first and last attendance at a rodeo was 1973 Williams Lake Stampede……….absolutely freakin’ heinous!!!! There are many people out there, that live to save, non humans, from suffering, death,and all the effects of the apathetic,money grubbing masses, and I have the great pleasure of calling many of you my closest friends. THANK YOU, FOREVER!!! As for those involved in rodeos, factory farms trophy hunting, the culling of innocent animals,baby seal slaughter, imprisoning whales…………..I pray with all my heart, that you get back exactly what you gave…………. and didn’t!!!!! SHAME ON YOU!!!!
another human animal example of how far we still need to grow as a species.
A good measure of a person is how they treat animals. Just to allow these events in this day and age in your community is a measure of the people who attend and it’s exploitation and abuse plain and simple. You can have fun and be entertained in so many other creative ways. I hope you get all kinds of support for your cause.
Very well said!
NO to rodeos!
It just sickens me to know that such a cruel event is permitted to go on. It’s just so disgusting. Have they no heart? Shame on them!!!!!!!!
I have just seen your advert in our Saanich News (one of many small local newspapers here on Vancouver Island, very popular, and much read!). Nowadays the public, in general, will not tolerate animal cruelty anymore. PETA is having huge success in shutting down barbaric treatment of animals worldwide and every single ‘smaller’ organisation has the power to do the same in our local areas. So … we can do this, folks. However, we need to make a big push towards education (as the photo advert in the News is doing) and perhaps one thing is to appeal to mothers. “Change this Barbarism to a Country Fair” – that’s much more Vancouver Island-style. “Cut out the cruelty and not the calf.” If we can all get ourselves organised, behind VCARE, then we will eventually cut out such despicable ‘entertainments’ as rodeos.
Thank you for the support Ann!
At last we live in a time and place where the public will listen and we are able to move public opinion into the realm of respect and decency, in the treatment of animals. Proven fact : animals are truly sentient beings, whose feelings indeed echo our own. As a result, led by PETA’s pioneering, countless organisations are organising effective public response where blatant animal cruelty is seen to be occurring. And they are seeing success (see how MacDonalds was forced to shut down pig gestation crates and other hideous cruel farming practices?). So … VCARE, I am only now aware of your existence, due to this Saanich News Luxton advert and … what a relief! I now see an avenue for us all to join and tackle known animal barbarisms. Furthermore, successes that we might achieve can be relayed cross-Canada to inspire other determined animal protectors like ourselves. Now I will joyfully explore your site, send all that I find out to my full address list, and I will think like PETA who has achieved ‘the impossible’, internationally too – check out their site and be inspired at the Power Of One! VCARE, I am only ‘one’, but added to all your other supporters, let us bombard the MUNICIPALITIES, Island folks in general, all businesses who support the rodeo, educators who influence our children, and so on. WE WILL ACHIEVE – count me in!
So sorry …. my first draft suddenly disappeared (see Ann above) so I redid my offering which went out as it should have (see Ann Kroeker above). Apologies for taking up all the space.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Luxton Fair offers us a splendid opportunity to teach children about responsible actions & spending. Take the sizable amount of money you would have spent at the Luxton Fair & use it instead for a healthy outing for children. Make sure they understand the importance of NOT supporting rodeos & the associated cruelty to animals.
I think a message shared on Facebook and Twitter, etc is worth a try. Something like: “It appears the mayor of Langford and the Powers that Be” couldn’t care less about the senseless cruelty of the animals at the Luxton Rodeo. I hope enough people are appalled by the internal and external injuries inflicted on these defenseless animals. Boycotting is well warranted. Please share if you agree.
Please see our contact page for our Facebook and Twitter links!
All my life I have felt this is wrong. Even as a little girl when people were cheering at the rodeo there was this gut feeling something is not right here. It is like a breath of fresh air to finally express the honesty in that child’s heart. We were always quieted by people saying; it doesn’t really hurt the animal, cowboy is competing, fun event, we all know the glossing over we have had to push back. NOW It’s time to follow these instincts and speak up against out right cruelty.
As a human being, I am ashamed of myself. How cruel we human beings are. Any cruelty to animals must be stopped and this Rodeo is one of them. How people enjoy watching while those wonderful animals are fighting for life!! Shame on them! I totally 100% boycott Luxton Pro Rodeo without question.
I went to the rodeo once and never again. This is not entertainment I can stomach.
Hope everyone spreads the word again before the animal cruelty long weekend!
Rodeos are LAME.