Protesters Gather Outside National Western Stock Show

DENVER (CBS4) - Protesters rallied outside of the National Western Stock Show on Sunday to call for an end to what they all animal abuse. The group says the rodeo animals go through cruel and barbaric practices for our entertainment.

The Northern Colorado Animal Save group wants to end that practice.

They say they gathered to educate people and encourage compassion.

"I would like to see rodeos boycotted and banned because using animals for entertainment. Exploiting them is not fun. It's not entertainment. It's not calf roping, it's basically plummeting and bullying an innocent animal that has no ability to fight back," said Julia Weingardt,

The National Western Stock Show says they take animal welfare and safety very seriously, and have veterinarian staff on hand 24/7.