For four days La Rural (the Buenos Aires Exhibition Grounds) are taken over by Caballos y Perros, Horses and Dogs. Somewhere in the background are a bunch of cattle, who have a role to play when the hundreds of gauchos are displaying their skills on horseback to separate individual cows from the herd. Whoever has seen North American Rodeos is familiar with the competitive lassoing of cattle. Here in Argentina, the cows are separated from the herd by two riders, who bracket the cow between them, thus eliminating the need for traumatic (for the cow) tying up. The cow is merely pinned against a wooden barricade.
Anyway, fall has arrived today, the 21st of March, and so have delegations of horses and riders from almost all the provinces of Argentina, as well as teams from Uruguay, Chile and Peru.
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| A group of gauchos, in their working outfits (no fancy get ups for these guys) awaiting their turn in the ring. Boinas, as the head gear is called, are worn in every colour and in every variation of personal style. |
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| Lets not forget the 'perros', the dogs. In a dedicated exhibition hall the dog people show of their little and not so little treasures. |
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Apart from horse tack, riding gear, silver wear, mate gourds, riding boots, books, doggie fashions, and riding treks across the Andes there are booths filled with Argentinean specialties, cheeses, smoked meats, salamis, chorizos, bondiola....all looking very tempting.
Anybody interested in riding across the Andes below the highest peaks down there visit the website
www.pioneros.com.ar
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| A few riders appear in all distinct finery, especially those who present the Peruvian Paso horse. Head gear has definitely a more formal appearance. |
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| Criollo horses of every colour everywhere.... |
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| Strong, compact, muscled, tough, with solid arched necks, perky ears and intelligent eye.....I am talking about the horse of course. |
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| Awaiting his turn in the line class |
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| These horses always look as if they are taking in everything around them...very rarely are their ears anywhere but straight forward and totally aware... |
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| Of course, being a show, all equines are washed, polished and groomed to perfection - but without the usual artifices so common in North America such as blackened hoofs, trimmed whiskers, and oiled muzzles - much more natural |
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| Am I going to win?? |
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| Tack boxes seem to be a universal thing across continents - have to store the paraphernalia somewhere... |
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| Criollo saddle. It looks weird, but once tried never to be forgotten. They are as comfortable and safe as an armchair. Several layers of padding underneath the saddle proper, and a soft sheepskin over the whole works to give one's rear end a fluffy ride. |
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| Bare bones saddle, the structure underneath all the padding |
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| Beautiful craftsmanship in leather and wood |
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| These horses are incredible agile..... |
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| Cell coverage on horseback.. |
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| Those 'lloronas', spurs! Several inches in diameter, however they seem more for macho decoration purposes than actual use on the flanks of a horse. |
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| The Argentinean Saddle Horse is well respected all over the Equine world...tall, elegant, with excellent gaits. This horse, called Gauchito, performed a free style kur. It was the first time I have seen one of those accompanied by a live tango vocalist... |
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| In the meantime, there are several 'playpens' in the doggie section, where children can play with companion dogs... |
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| The stands are filled with family members, gaucho wives seem to take along the entire brood of babies, who play at the bottom of the stands, or halfway into the sandy ring...and everybody is indulgent. Dad wears his gaucho work clothes, riding pants, boots, hat or boina, cloth underbelt, leather overbelt and the long knife, which serves as universal tool and BBQ utensil. |
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| After too much shovelling - a little rest... |
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| Might return to the exhibition once more, to maybe take in a little more 'action' |
