September, the month of the Charros
Yes, that is what it is. Even though we know that it is the month of the nation, the motherland, it is the month of the charros, of the charrería, our national sport. In September, we achieved our independence from Spain, and the charro became our most Mexican symbol.
Background
 When the Spanish Conquest ended (1521-1570), land was granted to the Conquistadores and a group of natives. Cattle arrived and it could only be run by the Spaniards and their children, the criollos. Cattle ranchers had to brand their animals. Every hacienda had to put on a weekly horse and cattle rodeo to separate the mixed animals. These were not easy tasks to perform. The men had to be brave, daring and skilled to accomplish them. At that time, the sole purpose of the rodeo was to gather the cattle. “When horses and their use were introduced into New Spain, without caste distinction, the origins of the Charreria were born from the needs and activities proper to the countryside, i.e.: branding, shoeing, castration and such. Furthermore, horse breeding prospered with time under the care of the landowners, rancheros and foremen. This enabled the horse to become a symbol of social status.
 The cowboy was the simplest worker, rough and strong. His hat was made of palm leaves, his shirt was tied, he wore a leather vest, leather riding pants open on the sides and always... spurs. His saddle was simple and he always carried a sarape blanket when the weather dictated it. The important and indispensable item was the lasso that he manipulated with extraordinary ability and dexterity as he roped or tied or performed other skills of his work. The foreman was responsible for all the animals and the cowboys were under his command. He had knowledge of veterinarian science and helped the cowboys do their work. Some were able horsemen that knew how to break in the horses.”
 Some haciendas bred horses and they employed horse tamers. The administrator was the person with the most knowledge, in charge of every aspect of the hacienda. He was as good a farmer as he was a cattleman, fully knowledgeable in the work of cowboy. There were two kinds of landowners: the ones who lived out in the fields most of the time, watching over every aspect of the hacienda, and the ones who lived in the towns and only visited their properties from time to time. Both were Charros”.
From this assortment of individuals came most of the contingent that fought in the revolutionary battles in search of the country’s stability. From them also came the men who made the Charrería famous and converted it from a utilitarian work to the most Mexican of sports. It has been said that it is “living history, an art form drawn from the demands of a working life.” Email to a friend
Ana Luz Velázquez
E-mail: editor@pvmirror.com
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