Puerto now has a fine Jaripeo arena, "La Costeñita", that can comfortably seat 4,000 and offers the kind of event that attracts legendary riders (jinetes), bulls from the best ranches, nationally known musical groups and entertainers.
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This month you can enjoy this spectacle at a special community event to celebrate Independence
Day (Sept. 16) in Puerto Escondido, or during one of the local patron saint fiestas (see Calendar for details.)
They were forbidden on pain of death to ride horses because the colonizers believed it was this animal that helped them defeat the Indian armies. Bullriding was permitted by the colonial authorities who saw it as harmless entertainment, but for the indigenous population it was a clandestine expression of defiance and bravery. The tournaments always begin with the riders kneeling in file, as the master of ceremonies recites La Oración del Jinete, the Rider's Prayer. The judges score the riders on how good a show they put on to animate the audience. A good ride would be when a bull shoots out the gate and makes lots of bucking rounds in the center of the ring; all the jinete must do is stay on. Most jaripeos have live bands playing chilenas and cowboy ranchero music to accompany the action and to further animate the crowd. There are raffles and other games., between rides. And most of the spectators stay on for the dancing that often follows the competition. (One of the favorite cowboy bands here is Alvaro Monterrubio and his Santa Cecilia Band, who will perform on Sept. 15 after the Grito ceremony.)
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It is believed that it was the Indians who initiated the jaripeo, shortly after the
Conquest. The fierce, strange beasts the Spaniards brought with them came to represent the
evil and subjugation of the newly enslaved Indians.
