Fearless Equestrian Heroines Are on the Way to Safeguard an Ageless Rodeo Tradition

Rodeo culture and heritage are not only concentrated in the US but also spread across its borders to neighboring countries. With the passage of time and the mixing of cultures, different rodeo traditions took shape in those areas. The Mexican rodeo is a mix of rodeo events and horse riding. There is a century-old tradition in the Mexican rodeo called Escaramuzas charra.

Escaramuzas charra is the highlight and the most attractive event of the Mexican rodeo in which only women perform. Recently, a group of women equestrians in the United States were seen performing in order to preserve the century-old tradition. In the wake of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, these women were seen practicing at the rodeo event.

Women equestrians preserve the ageless rodeo tradition

According to Yahoo News, a group of women gathered in San Diego to perform the Escaramuzas charra. Escaramuzas is the name given to the horse-riding women at the event. One might be surprised that such a team of Mexican national sport exists in the country. The team is called Escaramuza El Lucero which was formed at South Bay more than a year ago. Giselle Gonzalez a member of the team says “We have little girls, we have in-between, we have the older ones. And we’ve been just practicing, practicing just to be competing“. In this traditional all-women equestrian sport women ride side saddles to music in a unique fashion. In the unique riding, the riders do spin, crosses, and a combination of multiple exercises that in the end form a spectacular show.

The women equestrian ride saddle side means their legs and the long dress are placed on one side so that the spectators can view the side saddle design, the dress beauty, and the sombrero, the traditional hat. The unique riding is similar to swimming synchronization, where horses move side by side in perfect maneuvers. The Escaramuzas wear traditional dresses that are big and have lots of designs on them. At the start, two women called puntas go first to perform, and later on, the whole crew joins them. For Gonzalez “It’s pure adrenaline, full excitement and it’s just the best emotion ever“. Thus, through such practice and competition the women equestrian preserve the centuries-old tradition of the only women equestrian sport in Mexican rodeo.

The history behind the traditional women’s equestrian sport

This centuries-old traditional-only women’s horse riding sport originated during the Mexican Revolution in the 1900s. The courageous and fearless Adelitas, the women fighters during the revolution inspired the traditional long dress. They wore similar long dresses with a cartridge belt and a rifle in hand. The dress has followed strict guidelines to preserve the heritage. The skirt should cover the horse’s haunches so that the women can perform maneuvers during riding.

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The Escaramuzas charra is an ancient traditional sport and the only women’s equestrian sport in the Mexican rodeo. And the women in San Diego are preserving the long and proud heritage to it alive for future generations.

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