City Proposes Rodeo Ban on Flank Straps
Worcester's administration has proposed an ordinance banning flank straps, electric prods, and other tools used on rodeo animals.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Rodeo
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Should Worcester ban flank straps and electric prods at rodeos?
Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista's administration unveiled a proposed ordinance that would ban rodeos in the city from using flank straps, electric prods, and shocking devices on animals. The City Council must pass the measure before it can take effect.
Why it matters
Council Vice Chair Khrystian King requested the ordinance to protect the safety of people and animals at rodeos. MSPCA-Angell argues that flank straps can cause bulls or horses to buck excessively, sometimes hard enough to break legs or backs.
The proposed ordinance would bar flank straps, electric prods, shocking devices, ear-pulling, tail-twisting, and irritants such as hot peppers or tacks on rodeo animals. The City Council has not yet voted on the measure.
The players
Eric D. Batista
Batista is the Worcester City Manager whose administration unveiled the proposed ordinance, and he oversees the city's executive operations.
Khrystian King
King is the Worcester City Council Vice Chair who requested the ordinance last year, and he has pushed for rodeo safety measures.
MSPCA-Angell
MSPCA-Angell is a Massachusetts animal welfare organization that argues flank straps cause bulls and horses to buck dangerously.
The details
The ordinance targets flank straps, which are wrapped around the flank or waist of bulls and horses and used in bull riding and saddle bronc riding. It also prohibits pulling animals' ears, twisting their tails, and using chemical or physical irritants.
Timeline
2025: King requested the ordinance.
2001 to 2025: The DCU Center hosted Professional Bull Riders events.
Nov. 10, 2026, 6:30 p.m.: City Council reviews the ordinance.
Legal Context
The ordinance would build on Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272, Section 77, which already bars torture or unnecessarily cruel treatment of animals. It would apply that general standard to specific rodeo tools that the city considers harmful.
If passed, the ordinance would effectively end the presence of rodeos in Worcester, since bull riding and saddle bronc riding depend on flank straps. Residents who attend rodeo events at the DCU Center would no longer see those events held in the city under current formats.
The takeaway
The proposed ordinance shows how a city can narrow specific rodeo practices within existing state cruelty law. Its fate will depend on the City Council's review.
What happens next
The Worcester City Council will review the proposed ordinance on Nov. 10, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
Further reading
For more on how rodeo rules vary by place, see the Rodeo coverage section.
Live Poll
Should Worcester ban flank straps and electric prods at rodeos?
