1st place
gold star award
France Leclerc
united states 
title
Charreada, a stylish rodeo!
The charreada consists of a series of scoring equestrian “suertes” or skills with strict rules (even about the charros wardrobe which is quite elegant and reminds me of “mariachis”), and competitors are judged on both style, speed, and execution. The events, typically nine of them for men and sometimes one for women, are staged in a particular order and the competition is organized by teams, as opposed to individuals.
The charros are undoubtedly impressive, undertaking dangerous maneuvers, and they are unbelievably skillful with the ropes. But, especially since I was not able to appreciate the nuances of their demonstrations of skill, I particularly enjoyed watching the “ritual” aspect of the event. In particular, women and little girls are wearing colorful Adelita dresses, a traditional outfit named after a folkloric female fighter in the Mexican Revolution, which consists of a wide-ruffled dress with a circular skirt that falls to mid-boot. Ole!
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entry description
“Charreada”, a Mexican rodeo-like event (though historically it precedes the American rodeo) began in the 16th century when horses were introduced to Mexico by the Spanish. “Charros” the Mexican horsemen, adapted the equestrian contests of the Spaniards to produce a uniquely Mexican sport, referred to as “Charreria”. It is so closely associated to Mexican culture that in 1933, the Mexican president named Charreria the National Sport of Mexico) and UNESCO included it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. (“Charreria” refers to the sport and “Charreada” to the event). I had the opportunity to go to a charreada in the small town of Atzompa in the state of Oaxaca and it was quite a colorful affair.The charreada consists of a series of scoring equestrian “suertes” or skills with strict rules (even about the charros wardrobe which is quite elegant and reminds me of “mariachis”), and competitors are judged on both style, speed, and execution. The events, typically nine of them for men and sometimes one for women, are staged in a particular order and the competition is organized by teams, as opposed to individuals.
The charros are undoubtedly impressive, undertaking dangerous maneuvers, and they are unbelievably skillful with the ropes. But, especially since I was not able to appreciate the nuances of their demonstrations of skill, I particularly enjoyed watching the “ritual” aspect of the event. In particular, women and little girls are wearing colorful Adelita dresses, a traditional outfit named after a folkloric female fighter in the Mexican Revolution, which consists of a wide-ruffled dress with a circular skirt that falls to mid-boot. Ole!
about the photographer
france leclerc, born in Québec, Canada, is an independent photographer who currently lives in Chicago. Her early career was in academia, but her true passion for documentary and street photography has now taken over. Among her most prominent themes are culture (especially ancient ones), gender, and social inequality.back to gallery
