One could call it the Mexican rodeo, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Charrería is the national sport of Mexico that (yes, much like rodeo) arose from skills acquired doing ranch work. However, unlike the rodeo, charreada is a team sport that consists of 10 events (suertes), many of which have rodeo counterparts — such as bull riding and bronc busting — while others don’t.
One such event is the sole women’s suerte, the escaramuza, which tasks a team of eight with performing high-speed sidesaddle equestrian exercises in perfect coordination. The riders, called charras, don elaborate attire — colorful, pleated, and frilled silk dresses — rooted in Mexican heritage.