Bandera Wranglers facing backlash over Ham Rodeo

Heated phone calls, emails, letters and Facebook comments from around the country have descended on organizers and sponsors of the upcoming Ham Rodeo, according to its organizers.

One email shared with the Bulletin urged the Wranglers to cancel the “cruel” event; another Facebook message simply read, “backwards c**ts.”

Originally scheduled for last Saturday but moved to April 1 after rain, the event sponsored by the Bandera Wranglers invites participants to “catch ‘em, if you can’’ for a chance to win belt buckles and other awards.

The event has been the target of many animal rights groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who recently lost an appeal to Texas’ Fourth Court of Appeals.

In 2020, FourEights Custom Shop, managed by a member of the Bandera Wranglers, was vandalized with text that read “stop teaching animal cruelty” and “ALF,” an acronym for Animal Liberation Front.

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk told the Bulletin that incident was a “desperate plea” that had nothing to do with PETA but “shows the opposition to the Bandera Ham Rodeo is widespread.”

Newkirk continued, “The pigs who scream in terror as they’re kicked, slammed to the ground, and chased are the victims, not the stupidly macho Bandera Wranglers, who misrepresent PETA’s lawsuit or lament the public’s First Amendment right to send e-mails denouncing this wretched event that debases Texas.”

The Wranglers posted on Facebook, “Despite the fact that NONE of their claims have had any merit (not to mention the ones that are flat out lies), they lost their lawsuit and NONE of their appeal claims have worked, they continue to badger and intimidate our community.”

Texas’ Fourth Court of Appeals upheld a 2020 judgment from the 198th District Court that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and its coplaintiff were not eligible to make their allegations against the Bandera Wranglers.

PETA alleged the Bandera Wranglers’ annual hog catch event inflicts cruelty on animals and presented a health risk to the community. The nonprofit also argued the hog catch impaired their mission to protect animals.

In her opinion, Justice Lori I. Valenzuela wrote, “We overrule appellants’ issues and affirm the judgment of the trial court dismissing appellants’ claims for lack of standing.”

The co-plaintiff, Kim Waples, alleged she had a “present, genuine fear” the hog catch would result in a zoonotic disease outbreak that would cause her or her husband damages resulting in reduced work opportunities.

The opinion memorandum notes Waples “has never lived in Bandera and never participated in the hog catch.”

Justice Valenzuela wrote Waples could not establish a concrete injury. Ham Rodeo organizers say the backlash has only helped them gain more sponsors. Gates and event registration open at 9 a.m., and the event officially begins at 11 a.m. Admission for adults is $10, ages five to 12 are $5 and kids under the age of five are free. The event is cash-only, but an ATM is available on site. For more information, email bandera. wranglers@gmail.com