Escaramuzas are the only female equestrian event in Mexican charreria, featuring side-saddle horseback riders. Illinois has nine official teams.
"It's considered the national sport - everyone thinks it's soccer but it's charrería," said Vereniz Llamas.
"A lot of people from Chicago when we tell them what we are. If they see us dressed, they ask us when are we dancing?" Llamas said. "We're like no, we're not ballet folklorico but we ride horses and they're like wait, that exists?" Itzel Castañeda is the captain of the Coronelas. At 27 years old, she's been riding since she was five.
"Not any person can just get on a side saddle and do it correctly, explained Castañeda. "It involves a lot of balance.""The woman's saddle is called the albarda - the men's is called the silla. The albarda has two horns, one for their right leg to cross over and the other for their left supporting leg.
Under the dress they wear a crinolina or crinoline to keep it puffy. Below that they are required to wear a calzonera which is at type of legging. And very important is the rebozo or shawl which is tied around their waist in a signature six-tie knot.Ironically, charrería is considered a "macho" sport according to Castañeda. So much so that some charros don't take the escaramuzas seriously.
" to ward of any bad energy or danger. They also pin little holy pendants to their dresses to protect them in the arena. Many of the pins have the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe.
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