Charros preparing for La Calla, the opening ceremony

I was quite unprepared for the meeting my Mexican bullfighter friend, Carlos Ureña Hernández, had arranged with Don José Luis Chavez, a well-known Mexican charro and horse trainer in Guadalajara, Mexico. I was even more unprepared to be subject to a series of questions on horses and horse training from Don José, a quiet unassuming man with a twinkle in his eye.

After listening intently to my “theories”, he ­invited me to the Campo Charro Jalisco to watch the charrerìa, a Mexican horseman gathering that traces its roots as far back as 1531. As Don José explained, the charrerìa is a series of events or suertes (literally translated as “feats”) that test the ability of man and horse at work.

Professional charrerìa (often referred to as charreada) began in 1880 and was ­shortly thereafter declared a national sport by ­presidential decree. In addition, 14 ­September was declared Charro Day in recognition of the immense role played by the charros and ­vaqueros in Mexico of old. In turn, the charros pay homage to the Moors and the Spanish who they recognise as having laid the foundations of their horsemanship skills.

Additionally, these Mexican horsemen combine elements of classical horsemanship with working equitation and the end-product is a display of horsemanship that can only be admired by all. The charro is considered to be the “gentleman cowboy” of Mexico. He must not be confused with the vaquero who is the day-to-day horseman on the large ­rancherias.

The charro’s dress is regulated with only muted colours being allowed. He, however, strikes a dashing figure in his well-­fitting suit, sombrero, shotgun chaps and spurs. His ­saddle is often adorned with silver and ­intricate ­Moorish-style tooling, but ­nevertheless ­remains a practical work-saddle with his ­colourful ­serape tied to the cantle.

His reata or lasso is braided rawhide and is usually 100-feet long. His well-prepared horse carries a spade bit and a bosalito, a small ­rawhide bosal and responds ­immediately to the lightest touch of the rein or spur. His seat in the saddle – reminiscent of the ­classical ­masters of old – is proud and upright with ­almost straight legs in the stirrups.

Pride and humility

The charro is a proud of his horsemanship skills, his traditions and his ability to ­perform as one with his horse. His work is often ­dangerous as several of the suertes show and it is said that when he steps into the stirrup, he is taking a large step to either heaven or death. He sees himself as a horseman and a man who is capable of performing any task off horseback – something the exciting charrerìa proves.

Despite everything, the charro remains a humble man who is willing to listen and learn from others – even from gringo strangers such as myself. This was evident when Don José asked if I would be willing to work a stallion he is having problems with – and possibly some other horses. “If you do well, you will work in Mexico for many years,” he said. In return for working his horses, he has undertaken to teach me the skills of the charro.

Time to ride

High noon on Sundays is charrerìa time. The charrerìa consists of ten suertes (events), each suerte aimed at showing a particular ­individual or team-skill. The arena in which the ­charrerìa takes place, is shaped like a ­giant key with a round arena on one end and ­extending into a long passage. The round ­arena is ­approximately 40 m in diameter with the ­passage ­approximately 60 m in length and 14 m wide. Spectators sit on a pavilion ­surrounding the arena.

The opening ceremony is the first suerte and is known as La Cala. Usually ­accompanied by a mariachi band ­playing The Zacatecas March, the riders and their horses are introduced to the ­spectators by means of a parade where the riders ride ­stirrup-to-stirrup to the judge’s booth. This is followed by the introduction of the ­individual riders as well as the teams that will be ­working together.

The second suerte is an individual ­effort known as Calla de Caballo (test of the horse). This event requires the rider to, from a ­standstill, ask his horse for an immediate ­gallop and 60 m further ask for a controlled sliding stop (the ­longest stop we saw was ­almost 14 m). The horse is then inspected by the ­judges to make sure that the bit is legal and that the horse is not fitted with skid-plates on his hind feet. ­After the controlled slide, the rider is asked to give half, full and triple turns (spins) to both the left and the right, dismount and mount his horse and let his horse back-up for several ­metres in a straight line.

The next suerte is known as Los Piales. This event requires the charro to rope the hind feet of a wild, galloping horse –off ­horseback– without causing the target horse any injury. To accomplish this, the charro’s timing needs to be perfect as his horse must remain still while the galloping horse passes by. What is ­impressive is how the loop is cast to make the catch (the wild horse must run through the loop) and how the lasso smokes while being dallied. The galloping horse in turn puts up no resistance when he realises his hind feet are no longer working as they ought to – until the charro pops his dally.

Next follows El Coleadero where the ­charro is required to gallop his horse ­alongside a ­running bull, reach down with his right hand and wrap the bull’s tail around his right leg – still at the gallop – and trip the bull and bring it down. To accomplish this, the charro ­requires a highly disciplined horse, a perfectly balanced seat, strength and above all perfect timing. Without this, the charro will be pulled from the saddle by the bull and trampled by his galloping horse.

Facing the bulls

The Jineto de Toro is a bull riding event where the charro rides a bull of approximately 550 kgs until the bull stops bucking. Once the bull has stopped bucking, the rider must dismount and land on his feet and then remove the bull rope in preparation for the next suerte to take place.

Terna en el Ruedo is a suerte where a team of three charros (two mounted and one on foot) rope a bull – one by the head, the other by the hind legs with the third charro tying its feet ­together. Once the bull has been roped by the head, the rider must “tame” the bull and get it to quietly follow his horse, responding to the ­pressure of the lasso. Only then is the bull roped by the hind legs, pulled down and its legs tied.

Riding the wild mare

The following event is Jineteo de Yegua, an event in which the charro must ride a wild mare bareback until she stops bucking. The suerte known as Manganas a Pie (horse-­roping on foot) calls for the charro on foot (pie) to rope a galloping wild mare by its forelegs and cause it to fall and roll once without injuring the mare.

The wild mare is driven around the arena by three mounted charros at the gallop. Points are awarded for time and rope tricks as long as the horse is roped and brought down. ­Extra points are given for the tirón del ahorcado (hanged pull) in which the rope is around the charro's neck and he uses his body as the ­anchor to cause the mare to fall and roll (the area in which this takes place has deep, soft sand).

During the suerte known as Manganas a Caballo (roping from horseback), a charro on horseback must rope a wild mare by its front legs and cause it to fall and roll once. The wild mare is driven around the arena by three mounted charros. Points are awarded for time and rope tricks as long as the horse is roped and brought down.

Dangerous liaisons

The final suerte is known as El Paso de la Muerte (the pass of death) and is by far the most dangerous event in the charrerìa. During this event a charro rides a young semi-broke horse bareback, but with reins and attempts to jump from his own horse’s back onto the bare back of a wild running horse and ride it until it stops bucking.

If the charro performing the pass falls under the horses of the three other charros that are driving the wild mare around the arena ring, he will most certainly be badly injured or even killed.

Without exception, the spectators we ­­en-countered at the charrerìa were well-­behaved and very friendly, willing to even share their food and drinks with us. Sitting among the Mexicans, we found an immense pride in them of their charros. Despite this pride, they were quick to make their ­disapproval known if any charro rode badly or appeared to be ­causing his horse discomfort through hard hands and spurs.

I can hardly wait to get back to Mexico in December 2007 and work with Don José Luis Chavez and his horses. As the skills of the ­charro are only passed on from father to son and are never documented, I realise the ­immense privilege and opportunity I have been given. I only hope that I do not let myself down.

In the next SA Horseman, we will take a look at the charro’s saddle, how it is built as well as some of his tack. SAH