The contrast comes just one day after the New York City Council voted on October 22 to phase out its historic horse-carriage industry by June 2028. Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres are already selling tickets for the fourth annual San Diego Rodeo, scheduled for January 15–17, 2027, under new principal owners Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano, who acquired control of the franchise in August in a transaction reportedly valuing the team at $3.9 billion.
For the billionaire husband-and-wife ownership team, the rodeo represents an early test of their public commitments to community engagement, transparency and responsible stewardship. Yet despite repeated requests from SanDiegoVille, neither Jones nor Feliciano, nor anyone representing Padres management, has provided an explanation for the decision to continue hosting an event whose animal welfare controversies have reached the courts, cost organizers major sponsors and prompted repeated demonstrations outside the ballpark. Their silence is particularly notable given the January 2026 judicial finding that a public statement concerning an injured horse was false and intended to mislead the public.
The San Diego Rodeo debuted at Petco Park in January 2024, bringing professional rodeo competition to the downtown baseball stadium for the first time in decades. The inaugural event quickly became controversial after a six-year-old horse named Waco Kid crashed into a barricade during an Indigenous Relay Race, collapsed and was removed from the arena.
Video of the incident circulated widely, raising questions about the horse's condition and the veterinary response. Organizers subsequently issued a statement indicating that an initial examination had found no obvious signs of fracture or instability, despite the absence of diagnostic X-rays. Photos and video from the incident appears to show an open compound fracture on the back right leg of Waco Kid.
That statement later became a central issue in litigation brought by the Animal Protection and Rescue League and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness against the Padres and rodeo operator C5 Rodeo.
Following a bench trial in January 2026, San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil issued a 21-page Statement of Decision on January 27 that, according to the decision described in court records provided to SanDiegoVille, found the statement concerning Waco Kid was "false and intended to mislead the public."
The court determined that no X-rays had been taken and that the available veterinary equipment was inadequate to image a horse of Waco Kid's size. The judge also rejected the testimony of the veterinarian involved and made adverse credibility findings concerning stock contractor Timothy Bridwell.
The ruling did not prohibit the rodeo from continuing. Plaintiffs failed to establish that the challenged rodeo events, including calf roping, steer wrestling and the use of bucking straps, categorically constituted unlawful animal cruelty under California law.
The court's requirements have since become part of a final judgment. Attorney Bryan Pease, who represents the animal welfare plaintiffs, confirmed to SanDiegoVille that judgment has now been entered, incorporating the January 27 Statement of Decision and making its two animal welfare directives enforceable injunctions. Under the judgment, the rodeo's management team is responsible for verifying that no pregnant mares compete and for providing comprehensive on-site veterinary equipment, including radiographic equipment capable of examining and diagnosing livestock regardless of size.
Pease explained that the requirements are binding on the Padres and C5 Rodeo to the extent they remain involved in managing the event. The judgment does not prohibit future rodeos, but it imposes affirmative animal welfare obligations that must be satisfied going forward. According to Pease, neither side has appealed, although the time to pursue an appeal has not necessarily expired.
That statement later became a central issue in litigation brought by the Animal Protection and Rescue League and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness against the Padres and rodeo operator C5 Rodeo.
Following a bench trial in January 2026, San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil issued a 21-page Statement of Decision on January 27 that, according to the decision described in court records provided to SanDiegoVille, found the statement concerning Waco Kid was "false and intended to mislead the public."
The court determined that no X-rays had been taken and that the available veterinary equipment was inadequate to image a horse of Waco Kid's size. The judge also rejected the testimony of the veterinarian involved and made adverse credibility findings concerning stock contractor Timothy Bridwell.
The ruling did not prohibit the rodeo from continuing. Plaintiffs failed to establish that the challenged rodeo events, including calf roping, steer wrestling and the use of bucking straps, categorically constituted unlawful animal cruelty under California law.
The court's requirements have since become part of a final judgment. Attorney Bryan Pease, who represents the animal welfare plaintiffs, confirmed to SanDiegoVille that judgment has now been entered, incorporating the January 27 Statement of Decision and making its two animal welfare directives enforceable injunctions. Under the judgment, the rodeo's management team is responsible for verifying that no pregnant mares compete and for providing comprehensive on-site veterinary equipment, including radiographic equipment capable of examining and diagnosing livestock regardless of size.
Pease explained that the requirements are binding on the Padres and C5 Rodeo to the extent they remain involved in managing the event. The judgment does not prohibit future rodeos, but it imposes affirmative animal welfare obligations that must be satisfied going forward. According to Pease, neither side has appealed, although the time to pursue an appeal has not necessarily expired.
The judge also rejected the Padres' attempt to distance themselves from responsibility by characterizing the organization as merely the venue operator, finding that the team had assumed responsibility for livestock care as part of the event's management structure.
Those findings followed another disturbing incident during the January 2025 rodeo, when a horse named Pearl Necklace collapsed and died after competing in a saddle bronc event. A subsequent necropsy revealed that the mare had been approximately 11 months pregnant. Her unborn foal also died.
The San Diego Humane Society investigated and found insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges, explaining that the horse died from a ruptured uterine artery, a condition that can occur spontaneously. Nevertheless, the organization reiterated its opposition to rodeos because of the risks, fear and stress they can impose on animals.
The court's decision represents a significant distinction in the controversy. Although the rodeo survived the plaintiffs' effort to shut it down, the ruling also established that certain management practices were inadequate and that the public had been misled about an animal's injuries.
Despite that history, the Padres' official website is promoting the January 2027 event with professional competition, BeerFest, a drone show, children's activities and a country concert. The rodeo is being presented in partnership with Outriders Present and Finest Collective, with nearly $1 million in advertised prize money.
The return comes after the event lost financial support. The San Diego Tourism Marketing District, which provided $150,000 for each of the first two rodeos, did not fund the 2026 installment. The district's executive director previously explained that the Padres had not submitted a funding application that year, rather than attributing the decision to animal welfare concerns.
Corporate sponsors have also withdrawn. Monster Energy and Diageo were among the companies reported to have discontinued their support amid sustained pressure from animal welfare advocates.
Nevertheless, the event has attracted substantial attendance and generated tourism activity. Organizers maintain that the rodeo celebrates a long tradition of horsemanship and cowboy culture rooted in Indigenous, Mexican and Black communities. Supporters, including representatives of tribal communities, have argued that efforts to eliminate rodeos risk disregarding important cultural traditions and the communities that preserve them.
Opponents contend that cultural significance does not excuse avoidable animal suffering, particularly when the event is staged for commercial entertainment at a publicly owned baseball stadium. They also question why the Padres continue to embrace the rodeo after a judge found that its management team had misled the public about an injured animal.
The debate is unfolding against a broader national reconsideration of animal-based entertainment. New York City's October 22 vote to phase out horse-drawn carriages followed years of controversy over animal welfare and public safety, intensified by a fatal carriage-related incident earlier this year. Although carriage operations and professional rodeos involve different activities and regulatory considerations, both controversies raise questions about the continued use of horses for public entertainment.
The ownership change adds a new dimension. Jones and Feliciano assumed control of the Padres in August, promising to deepen the franchise's relationship with San Diego and build on the legacy of late chairman Peter Seidler. Their philanthropic initiative emphasizes education, entrepreneurship, equity and empowerment, with more than $250 million committed to various projects.
Jones has publicly emphasized the importance of community engagement and using the franchise's influence beyond baseball. However, SanDiegoVille has not identified a verified public statement from Jones specifically addressing rodeos or animal welfare, and neither owner has publicly explained whether the decision to proceed with the 2027 event was independently reviewed following the ownership transition.
The outstanding questions are substantial, and the Padres have been given multiple opportunities to answer them. SanDiegoVille specifically asked whether Jones and Feliciano had reviewed the court's findings, whether the new ownership group independently evaluated the decision to continue the rodeo, whether the Padres investigated the misleading statement concerning Waco Kid, and what measures have been implemented to comply with the court-ordered animal welfare safeguards. The organization was also asked whether its new owners personally endorsed the 2027 event and whether they intend to continue hosting rodeos beyond next year. None of those questions received a response before publication.
Those findings followed another disturbing incident during the January 2025 rodeo, when a horse named Pearl Necklace collapsed and died after competing in a saddle bronc event. A subsequent necropsy revealed that the mare had been approximately 11 months pregnant. Her unborn foal also died.
The San Diego Humane Society investigated and found insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges, explaining that the horse died from a ruptured uterine artery, a condition that can occur spontaneously. Nevertheless, the organization reiterated its opposition to rodeos because of the risks, fear and stress they can impose on animals.
The court's decision represents a significant distinction in the controversy. Although the rodeo survived the plaintiffs' effort to shut it down, the ruling also established that certain management practices were inadequate and that the public had been misled about an animal's injuries.
Despite that history, the Padres' official website is promoting the January 2027 event with professional competition, BeerFest, a drone show, children's activities and a country concert. The rodeo is being presented in partnership with Outriders Present and Finest Collective, with nearly $1 million in advertised prize money.
The return comes after the event lost financial support. The San Diego Tourism Marketing District, which provided $150,000 for each of the first two rodeos, did not fund the 2026 installment. The district's executive director previously explained that the Padres had not submitted a funding application that year, rather than attributing the decision to animal welfare concerns.
Corporate sponsors have also withdrawn. Monster Energy and Diageo were among the companies reported to have discontinued their support amid sustained pressure from animal welfare advocates.
Opponents contend that cultural significance does not excuse avoidable animal suffering, particularly when the event is staged for commercial entertainment at a publicly owned baseball stadium. They also question why the Padres continue to embrace the rodeo after a judge found that its management team had misled the public about an injured animal.
The debate is unfolding against a broader national reconsideration of animal-based entertainment. New York City's October 22 vote to phase out horse-drawn carriages followed years of controversy over animal welfare and public safety, intensified by a fatal carriage-related incident earlier this year. Although carriage operations and professional rodeos involve different activities and regulatory considerations, both controversies raise questions about the continued use of horses for public entertainment.
The ownership change adds a new dimension. Jones and Feliciano assumed control of the Padres in August, promising to deepen the franchise's relationship with San Diego and build on the legacy of late chairman Peter Seidler. Their philanthropic initiative emphasizes education, entrepreneurship, equity and empowerment, with more than $250 million committed to various projects.
Jones has publicly emphasized the importance of community engagement and using the franchise's influence beyond baseball. However, SanDiegoVille has not identified a verified public statement from Jones specifically addressing rodeos or animal welfare, and neither owner has publicly explained whether the decision to proceed with the 2027 event was independently reviewed following the ownership transition.
The outstanding questions are substantial, and the Padres have been given multiple opportunities to answer them. SanDiegoVille specifically asked whether Jones and Feliciano had reviewed the court's findings, whether the new ownership group independently evaluated the decision to continue the rodeo, whether the Padres investigated the misleading statement concerning Waco Kid, and what measures have been implemented to comply with the court-ordered animal welfare safeguards. The organization was also asked whether its new owners personally endorsed the 2027 event and whether they intend to continue hosting rodeos beyond next year. None of those questions received a response before publication.
Pease also sharply criticized the Padres' new ownership group for continuing the event despite the litigation and documented animal welfare controversies. Referring to Jones and Feliciano, he called it "shameful and despicable" that individuals presenting themselves as philanthropists would continue bringing rodeo competition to Petco Park, condemning the treatment of calves during roping events and questioning the ethical implications of staging such entertainment.
His criticism underscores the growing pressure on the franchise's new leadership to explain whether it independently reviewed the rodeo's history and the court's findings before proceeding with the 2027 event. Although the judgment permits the rodeo to continue subject to the injunctions, the Padres have not responded to SanDiegoVille's repeated inquiries about how the organization intends to comply with those requirements or whether Jones and Feliciano personally endorsed the event.
For now, the Padres are moving ahead with another three-day rodeo at Petco Park, even as the organization faces unresolved questions about its handling of previous animal injuries, compliance with court-ordered safeguards and the judgment exercised by its new ownership group. The decision is particularly consequential because the franchise is not merely renting out a private venue. It is facilitating a controversial commercial event at a publicly owned stadium while operating under a court decision that rejected its attempt to distance itself from responsibility for animal welfare.
Jones and Feliciano inherited a franchise with enormous influence in San Diego and have publicly emphasized their commitment to community engagement and responsible leadership. Yet when presented with specific questions about documented animal deaths, judicial findings of deliberate public deception and the decision to continue the rodeo, the new owners offered no explanation despite repeated opportunities to do so.
The Padres are legally permitted to continue hosting the rodeo, subject to applicable requirements. Whether doing so reflects the values and judgment of the franchise's new leadership is a separate question, one that Jones, Feliciano and Padres management have so far left unanswered.
What is no longer in dispute is that the Padres' responsibility extends beyond simply providing a stadium. A San Diego judge has now entered a final judgment imposing specific, enforceable animal welfare obligations on the rodeo's management team, including the Padres to the extent of their continuing involvement. Whether the franchise's new owners intend to publicly explain their decision to continue hosting the event, and how they will ensure compliance with those obligations, remains unanswered.
Originally published on October 27, 2026.
