In the remote outback towns where rodeos have been held for over a century, a new tension is reshaping the sport. The draw of social media monetisation sits uneasily alongside longstanding debates about animal welfare and the survival of rural traditions that anchor small communities.
Rodeos are one of the social and sporting highlights of the year for many rural and regional communities, raising millions of dollars for community projects and charities. Events like the Cunnamulla Fella Roundup showcase the skills of local cowboys and cowgirls with thrilling rodeo events, and larger gatherings draw thousands of visitors to isolated towns. For economies built on cattle, distance, and limited employment, these events matter.
The economics are straightforward enough. Approximately one in five Australians creates social media content to generate income, with Gen Z most actively earning money from social media, where 40% of users use it as an income source. For rodeo organisers and competitors, the opportunity is real. Live footage, behind-the-scenes content, and short-form video can reach audiences far beyond the dusty arena.
Yet this expansion collides with genuine animal welfare concerns. A 2015 independent survey commissioned by the RSPCA showed 52% of respondents in Australian urban and rural areas were concerned or very concerned about the welfare of animals in rodeos. In 2018, this increased by 11% to 63%. In 2022, polling found another increase by 4% showing 67% of the public concerned or very concerned about the welfare of animals in rodeos.
The regulatory landscape is fragmented. Rodeos are almost universally regulated across the states and territories through incorporation into regulations or via a compulsory code. However, legal requirements vary across each state and territory for key aspects including electric prodder use, requirement to obtain a rodeo permit and attendance by a veterinarian. Rodeos are held in all states and territories in Australia except for the Australian Capital Territory where they are prohibited.
The National Rodeo Council of Australia states that animals used in rodeos must be treated humanely, and states and territories are encouraged to license rodeos within their jurisdictions to encourage compliance with and adequate monitoring of these standards. Some jurisdictions have teeth; others do not. Victoria, and to a lesser extent South Australia, have minimum enforceable standards with a whole section on rodeos contained within the animal welfare regulations. Key requirements include the need to obtain a permit to conduct a rodeo, a veterinarian to be onsite during the event and a minimum body weight of 200 kg for rope and tie events.
For regional communities, the calculus is complicated. Social media revenue helps fill gaps left by agriculture's decline and tourism's volatility. At the same time, monetising events that mobilise animal-based entertainment increasingly conflicts with public opinion and evolving ethical frameworks.
The question facing rodeo communities is not whether tradition matters. It does. Rather, it is whether tradition can be preserved without externalising its costs, and whether profit from content creation justifies practices that growing numbers of Australians question. Reasonable people can disagree on where that line sits, but ignoring the gap between rural necessity and urban ethics will not close it.