An animal welfare advocacy group is criticizing singer and wild horse advocate Sheryl Crow for a scheduled appearance at the Cheyenne Frontier Days and for donating a portion of funds derived from that appearance to a wild horse advocacy group.

The annual Cheyenne Frontier Days, to be held July 22-31 in Cheyenne, Wyo., features rodeo-style competitions, concerts, and other events. Crow is slated to perform at the event on July 22. On July 8 Crow announced on her website that she would donate a portion of her proceeds from that concert to the Cloud Foundation, a Colorado-based wild horse advocacy group. According to a Cloud Foundation statement the donated funds will be used to build the organization’s Save the Mustangs Fund.

"I am aware of the contrasting and very passionate opinions that people have about this event and rodeos in general," Crow said on her website. "In recognition of these differences, and out of my love for wild horses, a portion of the proceeds from the show will be donated to The Cloud Foundation."

Steve Hindi, president of the Illinois-based animal advocacy group Showing Animals Respect and Kindnes, criticized Crow for appearing at the Cheyenne event on grounds that the Wild Horse Race presented at the rodeo is inhumane. The race features teams of horse wranglers and riders who attempt to saddle and ride previously unhandled horses. Hindi also criticized Crow’s donation of funds derived from the Cheyenne rodeo appearance as inappropriate