FWSSR 2021 Summer Newsletter

TOP INTERNATIONAL RIDERS TO COMPETE at 2022 Texas Invitational Escaramuza and Charro Cala A tradition of horsemanship and grace among female athletes in Mexico and the U.S. is now part of the legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, thanks to the inclusion of the Texas Invitational Escaramuza at the 2022 Stock Show. Audiences will also be thrilled with the skill and agility of male competitors in the Charro Cala, a new contest in the 2022 schedule. “Hosting these events allows us to continue toward our goal of offering exciting and unique competitions to our increasingly diverse audiences,” said Brad Barnes, Stock Show president and general manager. “It is our privilege to invite the top horsewomen who compete in the Escaramuzas in Mexico and the U.S to our event. For 2022, we are expanding the schedule to include a men’s event, the Charro Cala, and we are providing an educational clinic for those who want to learn about Charro Cala. This clinic will be taught by top competition judges from Mexico.” The Texas Invitational Escaramuza debuted at the 2020 FWSSR. In this second year of the competition audiences will be astounded with the skill and deftness of the riding teams – eight women per team, riding sidesaddle, attired in colorful, flowing riding habits and embellished sombreros. Each team completes a challenging series of synchronized movements that reflect the history of the Escaramuza. Teams are judged on the precision with which they complete their synchronized choreography, their skill as riders, mastery of their mounts and overall team and individual appearance. “Escaramuza in English means ‘skirmish,’” explained Dora Tovar, a member of the Stock Show’s Hispanic Advisory Committee. During the Mexican Revolution, 1910 to 1920, when the men rode to fight, women – referred to as adelitas – followed, armed and ready to protect the children. “When the camp came under attack the women would ride in a circle around their children creating the skirmish or escaramuza, hence the name and the basis of their choreography.” The addition of the Charro Cala for male competitors is significant, Tovar said. The 2020 Texas Invitational Escaramuza at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo attracted the attention of the international Charro community, which includes competitors and credentialed judges. Conversations among Stock Show supporters such as Tovar, Stock Show leadership, members of the international Charro community and the judge of the 2020 event sparked tremendous enthusiasm to add a men’s event, the Charro Cala, to the 2022 Stock Show. “The common connection between the women’s competition and the men’s competition is this one contest, called the cala,” Tovar explained. The cala is a slide competition much like the maneuver seen in reining horse competitions. The horse is ridden at top speed toward a point at which the rider brings it to a smooth, sliding stop that extends for several feet across the arena floor. Who has the skill to maneuver the longest, straightest slide? The winner! Women will compete against each other in the Escaramuza and men will compete against each other in the Charro Cala. While these athletes are top competitors, it is important to note they are competing before top judges. Tovar said this is a unique and important opportunity for the competitors. “The judges are coming from Mexico,” she explained. “That is a really important factor to all of the competitors because these riders want the opportunity to compete before Mexican judges,” who are credentialed by the sports’ international governing bodies. These judges will serve as instructors in an educational clinic for the Charro Cala competitors on January 29, the day before the competitions on January 30. Tovar said, “The FWSSR is offering an important opportunity to the competitors to learn more about this particular competition and to hone their skills. We are bringing the top horsemen in this particular area of competition from Mexico to lead the Charro Cala clinic.” Competitors and interested individuals are encouraged to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity to learn about this exciting sport. “We are eager to expand our equestrian show format and provide our visitors with the highest levels of competition possible at the FWSSR,” said Barnes. “The 2022 Texas Invitational Escaramuza and Charro Cala are designed to allow the best horsewomen and horsemen to Rise and Shine at our Legendary FWSSR.” Stock Show guests will be enthralled by the quality, beauty, grace and athleticism of the Texas Invitational Escaramuza. And the Charro Cala is sure to thrill any spectator. Both events are free with grounds admission to the FWSSR. No additional ticket is required to experience this international sport that emerged from the storied history of Mexico and showcases the skill and agility of the horses and riders. 12