Charro Rodeo

A trip to Mexico really is not complete without going to at least ONE rodeo. Our past trip we attended a private for fun rodeo at our friend’s ranch. Our 2024 trip we attended a few different types of rodeos, for fun birthday, Charro and a few others. A Charro is a Mexican horseman or cowboy dressed in a beautiful elaborately decorated outfit complete with fitted pants, shirt, tie, jacket (serape) and a sombrero.

Opening ceremony.

Photo Credit: R.Morley Causton

This was a practice rodeo for one happening at the end of January, in Ajijic. This rodeo they practise their Trick Roping, Dancing Horses, Escaramusa (Mexican Drill Team) and so much more.

Charro's of all ages & myself.

Falling in love, fast.

Photo Credit: R.Morley Causton Photo Credit: R.Morley Causton

As the afternoon started Rhonda and I took our usual walk around a new place. This is a small ritual we have everywhere we travel together. Because of our walks, we get to see some really cool sites and meet some very interesting people. As we walked around the ranch, warm ups started separate from the show ring. We visited the horses still in stalls and spoke to some Charro's.

This was an all ages event. Young kids just starting out who needed/wanted to work on their roping and cattle skills, followed by teenagers that are improving and honing in their skills to adults always improving and slightly showing off a bit. But no matter the age, they are all captivating to watch as their skill levels differ and horsemanship is stunning. To most of these people, the horse is an extension to their body and does not even appear to be a different being.

Watching the warm ups.

Photo Credit: V.Gray

As warm ups came to an end, the open ceremony started and all the Charro's lined up around  the outside of the ring in front of the stands.

Opening ceremony.

Photo Credit: V.Gray

They started the evening off with introductions that lead right into running skills and showing off their horses. As the evening moved on the crowd went from the bar/restaurant to out lining the outside of the ring. It's very common to find people carrying a bottle of tequila and their mix around with them or a 6 pack of beer. As a result of this everyone shares. If you are low, someone will hand you a beer or top off your tequila. That’s how the energy of the night carries. Friendly, welcoming, warm and having a good time, which is what we have found about all the Mexicans we have become friends with.

Charro's introduction.

Photo Credit: V.Gray

This event started around 3 pm and carried on until late in the night. They covered everything from people walking around selling tickets for a raffle for a bottle of tequila, team roping, lasso skills, dancing horses, cattle driving to ending the evening with bull fighting. The bull fighting was not traditional bull fighting, it was a bunch of younger people in the ring waving blankets at the bull. A few older personnel supervising on horseback, waiting to usher the bull back into the pen.

My in-laws enjoying the local cuisine.

Photo Credit: R.Morley Causton

As the night went on, everyone took a break from tequila to indulge in the local cuisine of pork, chicken and beef liver tacos. Well, really out of our group I was the only one who ate the beef liver, everyone else stuck to chicken and pork. It didn’t matter which taco you picked, they were all delicious. Once dinner was done we all carried on enjoying the show and tequila.

I spoke with a Charro who ended up loaning me his horse and showing me how to make the horse dance. This was an experience I never thought I would get to do. For a few reasons, it's way beyond my skill set, I have no idea which movements or how to do them and I also do not have a horse back home who is trained to dance. This was by far one of the most unique things I have ever done on a horse and I am so happy I got to try it.

Making the horse dance.

Photo Credit: E. Cowie

As we all started feeling the after effects of tequila and sunshine, we were getting ready to wrap the evening up and head home. This all came to an abrupt halt, when Ryan heard them calling out names for the tequila raffle. As he started listening, he figured out the women were trying to pronounce his name. He had won the bottle of tequila!

Ryan & Paul admiring the winnings.

Photo Credit: R.Morley Causton

Ending on the high note of winning the raffle and getting to make a horse dance, we called it an evening around 9:30 pm. This is early as we could see the cowboy's and friends were just starting to fire up. We quietly slipped out the back, with a quick “Adiso!”

We left with stomachs of tacos, tequila, beer, a bit red in the face from the afternoon sun, faces and stomachs hurting from laughing and some very memorable moments of our first Charro Rodeo. This has led to plans of attending future rodeos in Mexico.

Cheers!

**Please note that all opinions and views expressed in this post are my own, from my own experiences. If you would like to see more pictures follow me on Instagram @vikki.gray **