Injured steer euthanized at Calgary Stampede rodeo

A steer has been put down after sustaining a severe neck injury in a rodeo event at the Calgary Stampede today.

"We are saddened to report that during todays rodeo, a steer sustained a severe injury that was untreatable and as a result was humanely euthanized," said the Stampede in a release.

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It happened during the last run oftoday's steer wrestling event in front of thousands of spectators.

The cowboy competitor immediately called for assistance after the steer failed to rise.

Rodeo workerssurrounded thesteer and competitorwith a tarp before the animal wasrushed off the fieldon a stretcher. Three veterinarianson scene assessed the situation and determined the injury was not treatable.

Calgary Stampede officials say the run appeared to be normal, but independent livestock specialists will be reviewing the event video to determine if there were any contributing factors.

The Calgary Stampede saysmore than 1,000 steers have participated in the eventover the past decade, and only one otheranimal has been fatally injured.

The Vancouver Humane Society called for the suspension of steer wrestling following the animal's death. The animal advocacy group has been alongtime critic of rodeo eventsat the Calgary Stampede.

'Very rare,' says cowboy

Zane Hankel, the cowboy from Redcliff, Alta.,involved in the run, said he had no idea the steer was hurt at first. He thought maybe the animal's horn got stuck in the ground.

"We never intentionally hurt any of these animals. We use them lots throughout the year," said the cowboy who has been wrestling steers since Grade 10.

"We run over anywhere from 150 to 200 steers a year, and it's very rare to ever seen one get hurt ever."

Stampede veterinarian Dr. Greg Evans saidhe decided to euthanize theanimal because,in addition to thesevere neck injury, it had complete paralysisand some systemic system failure.

But, he said, the injury appears to have been completely accidental.

"From my vantage point, this run was totally normal," said Evans.

A post-mortem will not be performed.