Thunder\u2019s escape was short-lived, Far North Rodeo Club president Quinton King saying the bull was only out for a few minutes before being quickly rounded up by rodeo staff.<\/p>\n
No injuries were reported.<\/p>\n
King said Thunder was an intelligent beast who had been determined to get out. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe just wanted to get away. He wasn\u2019t running towards people as such, he was trying to run away. He ran up to the back, under a tree, to try to avoid people.\u201d<\/p>\n
King explained the bull\u2019s escape was one of those things that could happen despite best practice. <\/p>\n
He said to run a rodeo, specs are required for fencing, which is checked annually.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost bulls are fine, but every now and then you get one that is just bad and will always look for a way out.\u201d<\/p>\n
King reported Thunder had been \u201ca bit bad last year\u201d and had this year kept testing the fence.<\/p>\n
\u201c… [He] managed to find a weak spot and forced his way out.\u201d<\/p>\n
King said most bulls learn that the fence is a barrier and are trained not to go through them. <\/p>\n
King said most bulls wouldn\u2019t keep testing a fence like that for weak spots but one like Thunder could sometimes end up making a weak spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can flip a car with their power if they wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n
King said the rest of the rodeo, in front of the biggest crowd for quite a few years, went without a hitch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe weather was perfect … it was such a great day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The video prompted some people to question why rodeos were still allowed.<\/p>\n
The sport has attracted controversy in New Zealand. <\/p>\n
Animal welfare group Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe) actively campaigns against rodeos.<\/p>\n
The organisation believes rodeo is a cruel form of entertainment that breaches New Zealand\u2019s Animal Welfare Act because of distress and injuries to animals involved.<\/p>\n
Ministry for Primary Industries director of compliance and response Glen Burrell last year told RNZ that rodeos must operate under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and relevant codes of welfare, including the 2018 code of welfare for rodeos.<\/p>\n
He said these required animals to undergo welfare checklists, have veterinarians on-site and animal welfare inspectors also attended all major rodeos throughout the season and recorded serious injuries.<\/p>\n
Associate Agriculture Minister for animal welfare Andrew Hoggard confirmed to RNZ while attending a 2025 rodeo in Waikato that he was satisfied with measures being carried out under the codes system.<\/p>\n