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Rodeo prompts allegations of animal cruelty at Springfield fair

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 10:00 AM CDT

SPRINGFIELD — Officials are investigating new allegations of animal cruelty during a high school rodeo competition held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture told an animal-rights activist on Tuesday that it would review video footage recorded at the competition if an unedited copy is provided.

Steve Hindi says he has already provided the agriculture department with edited footage that appears to show horses being electrically shocked and bulls being jabbed with sharp implements. Hindi also has footage and still photographs of bulls having their tails pulled.

``If they really want to look at all these hours of footage, that's fine by me,'' Hindi said. ``I'll be happy to give it to them.''

The Denver-based National High School Rodeo Association, which organizes the event, claims on its Web site that it uses licensed veterinarians to track the rate of illnesses and injuries to livestock at the annual event.

A review of the last 12 years shows an average illness-injury rate of .0016 percent in more than 3,900 rodeo runs per year, the group said said.

A phone message left for rodeo association spokesman Mike Hausmann Wednesday morning was not immediately returned.

The event was held this year from July 24 to July 30 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. It will be held in Springfield again next summer.

If any violations are found in Hindi's video footage, investigators with the agriculture department will make recommendations and prepare a report for the Sangamon County state's attorney's office, said agriculture spokeswoman Chris Herbert.

The department previously said no cruelty laws were broken. They also determined that no laws were violated after reviewing a tape Hindi recorded at the event in 2001.