It's no bull, let's talk

Photo: File photo

The Vernon-based organizer of a Lower Mainland rodeo wants to talk with the group opposed to rodeos.

The Vernon-based organizer of a Lower Mainland rodeo wants to talk with the group opposed to rodeos.

And that's no bull.

Jamie Gilowski of Bigg Rigg Productions is inviting the board of directors of the Vancouver Humane Society to not only meet some of the stars of the show, but he will give them free tickets and “listen to their concerns in person if they connect with us ahead for the Abbotsford Extreme Rodeo this Saturday.

"It's unfortunate an automatic emailing campaign has been set up by The Vancouver Humane Society - and those who write these letters not only don't live in the area, they've never been to a rodeo event and likely won't attend one. And these letters are not even sent to any rodeo event organizer"

Gilowski said it's time people were better educated on what a rodeo is all about.

“And I am open to hear what the humane society disagrees with,” he said. “In this age of political divide, it's high time we build bridges and at the very least agree to disagree and I am happy to extend an olive branch to have the conversation in person so we can be educated on both sides of the debate."

The Abbotsford event is not the first to incur the wrath of the VHS, which launched a similar campaign last year when Lumby held the Bull Bash event.

“In Lumby's case last year, two out of the three local letters that were written, those folks ended up volunteering for the event - as that organizer reached out to hear the concerns due to the misinformation and that is what I would like to do as well,” he said.

Gilowski is extending an invitation to the board of The Vancouver Humane Society to meet with organizers before the event to have a respectful discussion or at the very least send personal concerns to him directly rather than an automatic email campaign to area politicians.

"Those who have concerns with the stress and how the animals are treated read up on The University of Calgary's study on the bull's emotional state - and he says it is his opinion that the bulls and the cowboys are athletes and they both are in it to win,” said Gilowski.