Fewer Animal Deaths at This Year’s Cheyenne Frontier Days

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Organizers say new safety measures are responsible for a drop in animal injuries and deaths at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Two fewer animals died during the festival this year compared to 2014 and veterinarians treated 34 animals for injuries, a reduction of almost 59 percent.

Public affairs chairman Bob Budd says the arena for the 10-day festival was set up to reduce risk. Lighter calves with more experience were used in the tie-down roping event as well.

Michael Koblisha is an investigator with Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, a group that posted three videos to its website of events that he says should have ended when the calf was injured.

Budd said letting one of those events continue was a mistake.