The Latino Business Students’ Association (LBSA) of Cal Poly Pomona presented its First Annual Traditional Charreada in conjunction with a College Fair on Saturday June 19th 2010 at the Industry Hills Expo Center. The event consisted of a Charreada (a Mexican rodeo competition) that showcased the best competitors in California and a college fair providing information on local colleges and what they have to offer.
Charreada is the Mexican rodeo based on the working skills of the Charros or Mexican Cowboys who worked on the great Haciendas prior to the Mexican Revolution. In 1921, Following the breakup of the Haciendas, the Asociacion Nacional de Charros was formed to preserve tradition and keep the Charro skills alive.
In the 1970s, the Federacion Mexicana de Charreria began assisting Mexican Americans in establishing official charreadas in the United States. The champion US team now competes in the national competition of Mexico.
Participants wear traditional Charro clothing and compete in nine scoring events staged for men and a tenth event, the Escaramuza, a precision equestrian event for women. This event involves women's teams executing in precisely choreographed patterns on horseback while dressed in nineteenth century attire.
Unlike US rodeos, most Charreadas do not award cash prizes as they are considered an amateur, rather than professional sport. Also events are not timed. Scores are given based on the finesse and grace of the competitor.
A charreada is held within a marked-off area of an arena consisting of a lane 12 meters (13 yards) wide by 60 meters (66 yards) long leading into a circle 40 meters (44 yards) in diameter. Two or more teams, called asociaciones, compete against each other in the ten events. Two events, Forefooting and Steer Tailing, have met with criticism in the US and have been modified in their practices to insure the safety of the animals involved.
1. Cala de Caballo (Reining): The Charro demonstrates the training and ability of his horse which is required to canter, gallop, slide stop, spin on its hind legs and back up. It Is one of the hardest events and also the most closely scored, it is possible to score more negative points than positive one.
2. Piales en Lienzo (Heeling): A horseman must throw a lariat and catch a running horse by the hind legs, bringing it to a full stop. The roper is given three tries and points are awarded for the distance needed to stop the horse.
3. Colas en el Lienzo, or Coleadero (Steer Tailing): The charro rides alongside the left side of the bull, wraps its tail around his right leg, and tries to bring the bull down in a roll as he rides past it. Points are given for technique, time, and fall.
4. Jineteo de Toro (Bull riding): Similar to the US rodeo event but bulls are smaller, between 990 and 1320 pounds, and are ridden until they stop bucking. The Charro cannot thrown off, he must dismount and land upright. Two hands can be used on the bullrope and points are given for technique.
5. Terna en el Ruedo (Team Roping): Three charros attempt to rope a bull - one by its neck, one by its hind legs, and the last then ties its feet together. They are given six minutes to complete the task. Points are awarded based on time and skill with a rope.
6. Jineteo de Yegua (Bareback on a wild mare): A wild mare is ridden with a bullrope. Two hands are used and the legs are held horizontally to the ground. The ride ends when the mare stops bucking. Again the Charro must land on his feet after dismounting.
7. Manganas a Pie (Forefooting): A charro on foot has three tries to rope a wild mare by its front legs and bring it to a stop. Points are awarded for time and roping skill. Extra skill is needed as the mare must be stopped without causing it to fall. This is done to protect the mare.
8. Manganas a Caballo or (Forefooting on Horseback): Similar to Manganas a Pie (Forefooting) but the charro is mounted.
9. El Paso de la Muerte (The pass of death): Riding bareback, a charro, attempts to leap from his own horse to the bare back of a wild horse and ride it until it stops bucking. The danger of this is if the charro performing the pass falls under three mounted charros that are chasing the wild mare he can easily suffer serious injury or be killed. Again the mare is ridden to a stand still.
10. Escaramuza (Skirmish) A teams of 8 women perform precision maneuvers while riding sidesaddle and dressed in Adelita dress.
A charreada is more than the national sport of Mexico, it is an art and is deeply rooted in the Mexican culture. This event was organized to give the student body and the community the opportunity to experience that culture and explore something new. Both tasks which it performed extremely well. It is hoped that this year’s event will be the first of many.
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