Get ready for an afternoon filled with heart-throbbing action on Sunday, April 14, when 10 female equestrian drill teams will go head-to-head in competition at Ajijic’s Lienzo Charro.
The escaramuza tournament starts at 4 p.m., with the Ballet Folklorico Xicantzy also appearing on the bill for added color. Admission is 80 pesos per person, kids come in free. Purchase advance tickets at the Delegacion office or Vinos y Licores El Barrilito, both located opposite the Ajijic plaza, or pay at the gate. The charro arena is situated on Calle Revolucion (Wednesday tianguis street), a block and a half south of Salvador’s Restaurant.
Escaramuza – literally translated as skirmish – is the only formal competitive event for women included in the practice of charreria, Mexico’s male-dominated rodeo sport. The riders show off consummate horsemanship, break-neck speed and gorgeous costumes, weaving together what comes off as a dazzling equestrian ballet.
Each team is made up of eight riders, all mounted on charro style sidesaddles. They wear matching outfits, choosing either the traditional Adelita costume filled out with a heavily starched petticoat or a more fitted skirt and jacket ensemble similar in style to male charro attire. Their wide-brimmed sombreros, accessories such as boots, rebozo sashes, and hair bows, as well as saddles and tack, are likewise coordinated in color, style and decorative detail.The presentation of each team begins with la punta, in which two of the riders thunder into the arena and come to a sliding stop. Next the other six riders enter the ring to perform the intricate drill routine, give a farewell salute and make an exit. Each group’s appearance runs for a maximum time of eight minutes.
The routine is made up of 12 individual exercises presented in uninterrupted succession and performed throughout at a steady gallop. The team loses points if any rider allows her mount to stop, trot or walk during the execution of the exercises. A backdrop of lively Mexican music adds to the rhythm and drama of the thrilling string of geometric movements.
The team trainer designs the routine to include a variety of obligatory and optional exercises conceptually categorized with terms such as cross, spin, ladder, sieve, fan, flower, comb, grouping and cavalry charge. Each routine must include one combination exercise with two elements executed back to back and one mixed exercise composed of a spin plus a different concept.
The riders strive to perform all movements with great precision to avoid accidents and minimize point deductions for defects in distance, symmetry or synchronization, collisions, falls and other errors.
Guided by a comprehensive rule book (the latest edition runs 75 pages), a panel of two or three judges scores each team’s performance. Each routine has a base value of 292 to 304 points, depending upon the sum of its components. Judges lop off points for mistakes spotted during the performance. They may also penalize or disqualify the team for violating strict guidelines regarding attire, tack, sportsmanship and procedural requirements.
The team can rack up as many as 22 extra points in the two puntas and up to 49 more in executing high difficulty exercises. The maximum score for a virtually impossible flawless performance is 375 points. Competing with a full value routine, Chihuahua’s Soles del Desierto accumulated 339.33 points to capture the crown in the final round at the 2012 national championship.
At the Ajijic tournament, teams placing in the top three places on the scoreboard will earn cash awards of 4,500, 3,000 and 2,500 pesos.