Rodeo is a traditional equestrian sport in Chile, declared the national sport in 1962.
Chilean rodeo is different from the rodeo found in North America.
The sport, in its modern form, is strictly regulated. Chilean Horses are used exclusively and riders are required to wear traditional huaso clothing. Rancagua hosts the annual Campeonato Nacional de Rodeo, the nationwide rodeo championship. The greatest rider in the sport's history is considered to be Ramón Cardemil, who won the national title seven times; the last champions were Juan Carlos Loaiza and . Riders practice in the countryside throughout Chile, but the sport is most popular in the central zone. Even so, huasos have been known to travel hundreds of miles to compete in competitions.
In 2004, more spectators attended rodeo events than professional football matches.
Currently, rodeo is one of the most played sports in Chile, some sources argue only second to soccer. The Chilean Rodeo developed in rural areas all over the country, most prominently in the central area, where there is a rural demographic. However, the location of the most notable sites of play, called medialunas, are in large cities in Chile. This shift is because of the expansion of the rodeo in the middle of the twentieth century.
Description
The game consists of a horse collar, composed of two huasos and two horses, who must stop a young bull within three chances to receive different scores.
Rodeos are held inside circular enclosures called rodeo rings. There are two skills in the event. Firstly, cow runs and the movement of the reins, this being the most popular, where the objective is to horse collar - using two huasos (skilled horse riders) mounted on Chilean horses - a herd using a steer of thatch. The second aim is to pass eight equestrian tests.
The highest scoring move is the flank save which earns four points, then the free paddle save which is worth three points, and finally the paddle save which earns two points. Players can have points deducted if the riders cut across or pass the ring.
Currently, the sport is governed by strict regulation that, among other rules, says only registered Chilean horses can compete, ridden by huasos in uniform. The official season begins in September and lasts until April, with around 320 rodeos throughout Chile. The season ends with the National Championship of the Chilean Rodeo, taking place each year in the rodeo ring Medialuna Monumental de Rancagua and attended by the best riders and horses qualifying during the season.
History
The game’s origins go back to Imperial Spain's colonial era (1598-1810), as part of traditional Chilean peasant festivals.
Establishment
The birth of the Chilean Rodeo dates back to the sixteenth century during the rule of Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, a cavalry officer trained in the play and administration of skill games. He was also an admirer of Moorish equestrian art. In those years the cattle in Chile were not well identified and it was common for them to get lost. To prevent this, Governor Hurtado ordered that every 24th and 25 July, at the feast of the Apostle Santiago, the patron saint of the city, cattle be gathered in what is now known as the Plaza de Armas de Santiago to be selected and sold. In 1557, this rodeo became mandatory, but the date changed to October 7, San Marcos Day. The goal remained the same, but the work of transferring cattle to different corrals had to be carried out by riders on well-trained horses. The most experienced riders in training or in what is now called the rein movement were rewarded.
In 1860 the medialuna was put in place, similar to the one that is run today, with a ring and two thatches, which is the place where the riders need to stop the cattle. In those days, thirty or more head of cattle were locked up in the ring so that each couple would remove the cattle from their brand with no help other than their skill, a difference from today, when the cattle are in a bullpen and leave the court randomly. The medialuna has a radius of 20 to 25 metres. Previously rodeos were played on a rectangular court that made it difficult to drive the cattle.
At the end of the twentieth century rodeos began to occur regularly. They took place on a rectangular track with a length of 75 metres. The riders removed the cattle from the corrals and in the centre of the track demonstrated their abilities to separate and direct the herd without the help of other riders. All of this action was regimented and the most skillful riders were honoured.