News and Reports

Following backlash from animal rights groups in 2022, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair canceled the event known as the ‘Calf Scramble,’ which pitted juvenile cattle against teens and young children with the goal of removing the animal’s halter for a prize.

Flash forward to 2024, and a new event, dubbed the ‘Barnyard Challenge,’ debuted at the fair—strikingly similar to the previously canceled event.

Now, with the annual fair set to return next week in Brandon, animal rights groups are once again calling for the end of what they view as a cruel and outdated event.

“Unfortunately, just making the name sound nicer doesn’t change what is happening in the event,” said Krista Boryskavich, director of animal advocacy at the Winnipeg Humane Society.