A protester at the Urenui Rodeo in north Taranaki earlier this month filmed a rider wrestling a steer for too long. The Ministry for Primary Industries confirmed a breach of the welfare code, but said no offence was committed.

A Taranaki rodeo is under investigation after a rider allegedly wrestled a steer - using his weight to twist its neck - for longer than allowed.

A video provided by a New Plymouth district councillor, which is said to have been captured at the Urenui Rodeo at around 11am on Saturday, showed a steer wrestling event go for too long.

Steer wrestling sees a rider on a horse chase a steer, drop on to it and wrestle it to the ground, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) code of welfare for rodeos states the time must not exceed 30 seconds.

In the video the rider lets go of the steer at 42 seconds.

READ MORE:

* Country-wide criticism can't buck Urenui Rodeo

* Politics and protests just one side of rodeo, rider says

* New rodeo animal welfare rules 'crisis management', critics say

"If they can breach it once, they can breach it twice," Anneka Carlson, a New Plymouth district councillor who was one of 25 protesters outside the event, said.

"What else are they breaching?"

Supplied A still from the video said to have been captured at the Urenui Rodeo on Saturday, showing a steer wrestling event going on for too long.

Carlson said they had made MPI aware of the breach after the woman who recorded the video, who wanted to remain anonymous, realised what had happened when she listened back.

Fifteen seconds into the video and the event the commentator can be heard saying the rider "might need some Urenui support", as he is visibly struggling.

The rider can be seen twisting the steer's head by its horns and using his body weight in an attempt to pull it down, before the commentator states it has been more than 30 seconds. At which point the cowboy lets the animal go.

The commenter tells the crowd the rider was only allowed 30 seconds, so was disqualified.

BRODY DOLAN/STUFF New Plymouth district councillor Anneka Carlson (centre) took part in the protest outside the Urenui Rodeo and said the news of the breach worried her.

In an emailed statement on Monday, MPI said it appeared "the actions were not compliant" with the code.

"MPI is investigating further and the animal will be identified for inspection with an independent veterinarian," the statement read.

"We take animal welfare very seriously and, as such, are always disappointed by any breach."

The Urenui Festival Organisation's secretary Jess Baker said she'd only just been made aware of the video on Monday and was making inquiries herself so would not be able to comment.

In a media release by animal rights association Safe, spokesperson Will Appelbe said the steer wrestling event was already "obviously cruel by any measure".

BRODY DOLAN/STUFF Carlson said the protesters had reported the video to MPI.

"The rodeo code of welfare allows organisers to conduct a lot of animal cruelty, and yet they still can't stick to the minimum standards," Appelbe said in the statement.

"If rodeo organisers can't meet the minimum standards, their social license to operate should be revoked."