One of the blocked streets making up the venue for the Feria de Matadores is reserved for gauchos and their criollo horses. Every tree along the side walks serves as a temporary 'stable' to give the horses shade and rest between their turns in the competition. So, instead of tip toeing through tulips or dog poop, one picks one's way amongst horse droppings. The most well known street horse competition is El Galpon de la Tablada. A high open gate is placed across the street (which for this purpose has been covered with a layer of sand) from which hangs a short, thin strip of leather with a small ring attached to it's lower end. The ring is about the size of a regular finger ring, but attached in a way, that it can disengage when pierced through the opening with something like a tiny dagger, or a silver shich-kebab stick...
The horses and their riders take turns to ride at full gallop towards the gate and pierce the ring with their little dagger. The ones who catch the ring win - sooner or later...
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| You know you are in the right street, even if the real horses would be absent, as wall graffiti illustrates the weekly event. |
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| The Resero again on his calm Criollo horse |
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| This one is NOT going to compete... |
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| A bit of a collision at the start, where two horses are showing their eagerness to get into the act. A local curiosity mounted on the horse on the left - the sole female rider in the competition. Riding is very much a male thing here. The job of a gaucho, which is still very much alive today, is a male domain. |
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| Looking like Jorge Cafrune, one of the more famous gaucho cantors, here comes one of the competitors in full flight, dagger held like a pencil in his right hand at the ready. |
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| Missed it!! |
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| They just know how to sit a horse.... |
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| Awaiting his turn at the ring... |
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| Cheers - he got a hit! |
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| Some absolutely to drool for horse flesh - never mind the rider... |
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| These horses are flying flat out, it takes them a couple of blocks after the gate to come to a stop... |
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| Taking a rest between stints... |
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| Parking on the sidewalk permitted.... |
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| Another proud winner one a beautiful steed. |
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| Some of these Criollo horses look like tanks, so strong and compact. |
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| Chatting with the competitors.... |
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| El Resero statue in live form... |
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| Actually these guys and their horses are enjoying themselves. The horse just stands around attentively without being ground tied. Never mind hordes of people, dogs, traffic, noise and music... |
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| Ah, would I ever love to take that horse home... |
