Olympic Rodeo Still
On Despite Activists

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake Organizing Committee President Mitt Romney announced last month a decision to keep the Olympic Command Performance Rodeo as part of the 2002 Cultural Olympiad.

The rodeo is set for Feb. 9-11 at the Davis County Fairpark in Farmington, Utah.

Animal rights activists, including the Humane Society of the United States, are opposing any rodeo in connection with this winter's Olympic games in Salt Lake City.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboy's Association will produce a rodeo for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee as a part of the Olympic Arts and Culture Festival in February.

Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson in December indicated that he expected the Salt Lake Organizing Committee to cut ties with the Olympic Command Performance Rodeo after talking to SLOC President Romney.

The Humane Society says Romney has been open to canceling the rodeo, or at the very least, eliminating calf roping from the venue.

A spokesman for Anderson says Romney told the mayor that if calf roping wasn't eliminated as a rodeo event, SLOC would cut ties with the rodeo.

Cindy Schonholtz with the PRCA, however, says the rodeo is still scheduled for Feb. 9 through 11 at the Davis County Fair Park, a view confirmed Friday with the SLOC's official announcement.

Officials in the mayor's office say Romney would consider severing ties with the rodeo if activists promised not to protest during the Olympics.

Colleen Gardner, campaign manager for the Utah Animal Rights Coalition, says if SLOC breaks ties with the rodeo, animal rights activists would give up protests planned near Olympic venues.