Rodeo bucking bulls may have crossed into the United States from Canada after May 20, 2003, when BSE closed the U.S. border to all ruminant animals.
U.S. federal and state officials are investigating whether rodeo bulls that are on record for an event in Taber, Alta., May 23-25, 2003, also appeared later in South Dakota, Montana, Washington and Idaho.
Five rodeo bulls owned by Greg and Duane Kesler of Helena, Montana, and Magrath, Alta., are registered with rodeo organizations as having been ridden at the Taber Pro Rodeo on May 23, 2003, and at as many as seven American rodeos since.
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On May 23, Quentin Gisler of Keremeos, B.C., rode Keslers’ West Coast Tornado to a score of 79 in Taber.
On March 16, 2004, the bull was listed as bucking off Fred Boettcher of Tomah, Wisconsin, after 5.9 seconds in the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo at Pocatello, Idaho.
Acting on a tip during that rodeo, Larry Hayhurst, an Idaho brand inspector, sent officers to check for the Canadian bulls and their documentation at that event.
“We looked at them and their paperwork and decided there was a problem and contacted the Montana authorities where this rodeo contractor is located. He has operations there and in Canada,” said Hayhurst.
“They took over the case and now the federal authorities are checking into whether or not these animals crossed the border illegally. It sure appears they may have.”
Idaho officials ordered the bulls returned to Montana.
Montana state livestock authorities also began an investigation after the Pocatello event and on March 29 ordered the “quarantine from movement” of rodeo bulls on a “private farm near Helena, Montana.”
Karen Cooper of the state said it is investigating a lack of health certificates and “other transportation documents” for that group of rodeo bulls.
Andrea McNally of the United States Department of Agriculture’s animal and plant health inspection service confirmed that an investigation by her department and the Department of Homeland Security was under way to determine if the bulls had crossed illegally and how.
Both Cooper and McNally declined to say whether the bulls belonged to the Keslers, and the Keslers were not available for comment.
Five Kesler bulls are shown on the Probullstats.com website that tracks North American bull riding statistics, to have competed at the Taber event and later in the United States: Thumbs Up, Universal, Adios, Bedrock and West Coast Tornado.
Larry Delver, a Canadian Food Inspection Agency animal health specialist, said the bulls pose virtually no health risk to American animals.
“We know of no cases where BSE has ever been transmitted from animal to animal. The only risk to humans by these animals might be the cowboys they step on.”
CFIA confirms the Canadian agency is participating in the investigation with USDA.
