Don’t let the laughing crowds and exuberant dancers fool you, a Chilean rodeo is serious business.
The Chilean rodeo dates to Chile’s colonial days. It began with Spanish ranchers, who held annual roundups to show off their prize cattle. Today, rodeo is a sport that demands superb horsemanship. It is also a festive occasion. In Chile’s little valley towns as well as its bigger cities, colorful banners announce a coming rodeo.