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The Brad Side of Things

Contributed by: Brad Bettag on 1/29/2007

Ladies and gentlemen - in prime horse racing fashion after months of agonizing wait, Barbaro is finally dead. Just as the Kentucky Derby takes 10 hours of pre-broadcast for a 20-minute race, Barbaro needed eight months of tests, operations and drugs before he would inevitably die.

Hallelujah! Now don't get me wrong I love animals and still try to help out the Denver Dumb Friends League (Who are against horse racing) any way I can.

But the thing that irks me the most is the country's outcry and support of this four-legged legend. So he was one of the greatest racing horses in recent history. But he was just that, a racing horse.

So when he went down on that fateful day where he shattered his right hind leg just a few strides into the Preakness Stakes, the nation held its breath, and in the weeks that followed countless gifts, wishes, and prayers flew to Barbaro and his owners, just as countless uninsured children sit in agony in hospital waiting rooms to be treated for their various forms of cancer and leukemia.

So I ask you was it worth it? What did the nation gain by worshiping this golden calf ... I mean horse? (I mean blasphemy) Would all the money poured into trying to save Barbaro really do more good in treating him or would it just be beating a dead horse to quote the saying.

Couldn't countless prayers, support, and donations be more appropriate for some little girl who is barely holding on fighting some serious disease where her parents can't afford the medical support required?

Instead of performing surgery after countless surgery on tendons in an animal whose past genealogy either went out to pasture or to the glue factory, why not highlight the fight some humans have with breast cancer or Leukemia where families get broken apart and children lose parents and parents lose children.

Instead of a nation losing a horse where in ten years they will be forgotten and replaced by some new up-and-coming colt.

I doubt the parents who lost their daughter to Parkinson's will forget her after ten years.

Brad Bettag is a student at the Colorado School of Mines.


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Submitted By: Wayne Rogers
posted on 4/21/2007 @ 6:02:13 AM
(Not Rated)
While your heart is in a good place your logic isn't. People don't choose one thing over another, they have room in their heart for more than one thing. The same people who sent gifts and well wishes to the horse may very well have donated or sent well wishes to some sick little girl or boy or the victims of some terrible storm. Caring for one thing doesn't preclude another. Ever had a pet? Many people feel the same and spend the same in caring for their pets as they do their children, it may not make sense to everyone but to them it does. You are young and things seem black and white to you but as you get older you are introduced to shades of grey, even in your hair.
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Submitted By: Lynette Dumont
posted on 2/8/2007 @ 8:16:19 PM
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Someone is always tired of an animal getting more press than any number of humans who are suffering. Maybe you'd consider spotlighting a child whose family is struggling with medical bills, etc. Run a story or series and see what comes of it. If no one knows about that child with leukemia, then that child won't be acknowledged. Barbaro got notoriety because he was one of the few who weren't euthanized on the track after such a severe injury, and his owners actually considered him more than just a cash-horse. The treatment wasn't a waste, in that a great deal was learned from it. Back up that opinion with something that'll actually benefit some kid out there rather than whine, or is it whinny.
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Submitted By: Mark Gorman
posted on 2/1/2007 @ 6:42:31 AM
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Well Brad, not much I can say to such an intelligent response.
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Submitted By: Brad Bettag
posted on 1/31/2007 @ 7:07:45 PM
(Not Rated)
Wow, Mark I didn't think you were in to bestiality because it seems you have a thing for horses... I sure hope no one grieves for me like one grieves for a dead horse... Who does that? Besides I think Brad glue wouldn't do so well in stores...
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Submitted By: Mark Gorman
posted on 1/31/2007 @ 10:49:29 AM
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Wow Brad, Did you ever consider that someone might be able to provide solace to more than one subject. Your comments are shallow and show your lack of maturity in these kinds of situations. Hopefully you do have people in your life who won't have used their grief on some other worthless subject when it comes time to grieve you. Mark
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Submitted By: Rob Weber
posted on 1/31/2007 @ 9:48:26 AM
(Not Rated)
What outcry by who? From what I seem to remember it was the MEDIA throwing it in peoples faces. Like you said it was just a stupid horse with greedy owners wanting it saved for stud. The poor thing should of been put down almost the same day it happened!!
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Submitted By: Eric Lubbers
posted on 1/31/2007 @ 9:06:54 AM
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It's kind of along the lines of people buying $400 sweaters for a dog that already has fur instead of donating the same cash to Goodwill. Good column, Brad.
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Submitted By: John Zwick
posted on 1/30/2007 @ 2:48:45 PM
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I have my suspicions that it came down to the cost of surgeries and rehabilitation trumping the income from having the horse just put out to stud in retirement.
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Submitted By: Rebecca Zimmerman
posted on 1/30/2007 @ 2:47:07 PM
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Glad to have you back, Brad.
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Submitted By: Karen Groves
posted on 1/29/2007 @ 4:57:41 PM
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Interesting slant on current events Brad
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Showing 1-10 of 10 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Brad Bettag

Lakewood , CO

Brad Bettag has posted 40 stories and 46 comments since joining on 3/22/2006. Brad Bettag 's average story rating is 3.72.
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