CHARREADA

Four hundred years of tradition in caring for large animals on large ranches are behind the competition known as Charreada. Handed down from generation to generation, this precursor of the American Rodeo, is performed in a lienzo (arena), which is shaped like a key hole. There are of nine suertes (events) in Charreada.

In the first, Cala de Caballo; (Horse reining) a charro gallops his horse the length of the lienzo, and slides to a stop. He then rapidly pivots the horse on each hind leg; for a minimum of three revolutions in both directions. Then he does two half turns, after which the Charro backs the horse down the lienzo. This was what a seller does to show how well his horse was trained to a prospective buyer.

Piales is one of the most controversial of the events. In it, you rope the hind legs of a running horse and bring it to a stop. Doing this has about the same effect as a shoe string tackle in football and causes less injury to the animal then throwing a rope around its neck.

To compete in Colas en Lienzo; (Bull Tailing) you must grab the tail of a running bull, wrap it around your leg, and pull it to the ground. This event developed, when charros determined that it was easier to move a steer by grabbing its tail and directing it to where you wanted to bring it down. This causes less trama on the animal, then roping it and dragging it by the neck.

One of the most exciting and colorful events of the Charreada is the Escaramuza, the girls side saddle team. The origin of this event is somewhat controversial. The romantic story holds that the women of the revolution would ride their horses to raise dust to distract the enemy, while the men attacked from the rear. The less romantic story says that a charro saw the flag ceremony in the Houston rodeo and brought it bach to Mexico and started the Mexican Carousal.

During their performance, the girls of the Escaramuza, race around the arena, barely missing each other as they crisscross making energetic patterns.

The rules for Jineto de Torro (bull ridding) are quite simple. You ride until the bull stops bucking, or you fall off. After the bull has been ridden, the next event is Terna, or team roping. This event most readily distinguishes the difference between the American Rodeo and the Charreada, In the American Rodeo, the idea is to get the steer caught quickly and efficiently. In Charreada the emphasis is on style. The header must twirl his rope around his horse at least three times and spring it over his head before he catches the head of the bull. He then makes a bosal (halter) by flipping his wrist and sending a loop down the rope to catch the bull?s muzzle, to minimize the trauma on the animal. The second roper, twirls his rope around his horse just like the first or throws it like a yo yo, and catches the back legs and then the animal is dropped.

Jineteo de Yegua or bare back riding has the same rules as bull riding. Just stay on. This is followed by Mangana, which is done on horse and on foot. (a caballo or a pie) In the first, the roper on horseback twirls his rope around his horse, springing it over his head at least once, while a wild horse is chased around the arena. As the horse passes, the rider, must catch the front legs. In the second, the roper, while standing on the ground, twirls the rope around himself, jumping through and back through the loop as a wild horse is chased around the arena. When the horse is next to him, he catches the front legs.

Paso de Muerte (Pass of death) is the final event. In it, a rider jumps from his galloping horse onto the back of a galloping wild horse and rides until it stops bucking.

Charreada is sometime called the national sport of Mexico, but it is more then that, it is a Tradition. This is because the relationship between men and horses is an integral part of the Mexican psyche, as exhibited in their language. A gentleman is Mexico is called a caballero or horseman. Even the brakes on vehicles are called frenos or the same name given to at a bit for a horse. Just look at the charro movies of Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, Antonio Aguilar, and Vicente Fernandez. They are the identical type of adventure that was made famous by Roy Rodgers and John Wayne. Each cinema exhibits the tradition of their respective country and in both cases it is a tradition worthy of preservation.

That is why we say:

If you like Rodeo, you'll love Charreada.