The rodeo is the first Tasmanian event of its kind for the year and is the second largest for the state, according to organisers.

While spectators were drawn to the glory of the competition, a Tasmanian animal rights group has renewed its concerns.

"It's entirely at the expense of the animals involved," Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania spokesman Chris Simcox said.

"What they class as entertainment is, in our books, purely cruelty.

"We've got an ongoing petition that's been running for a number of years now, we'll be presenting that certainly sometime very soon."

Although animal welfare concerns are each year raised with the start of the rodeo season, event secretary Candice Wyllie said the health of their animals was paramount.

"They're number one," Mrs Wyllie said.

She said the event was sponsored by Launceston Veterinary Clinic and employed a full-time vet on-site to care for any injuries.

She said it was the third year that the rodeo, originally Carrick Bullride, had added other tiers of competition to its ranks.

Solo and team calf roping, steer wrestling, bareback horse riding, barrel racing and breakaway events were among those to be run from 4pm.

Musical entertainment also proved popular as Tasmanian band Bucknasty jammed out on a temporary stage.

Mrs Wyllie said the rodeo usually drew 1000 attendees, including 50 competitors from across the state and from Victoria.

"It takes about a week for the full structure set-up and take-down, that's just infrastructure-wise," she said.

"There's at least six months in the planning."