Escaramuza…Learning a New Word and Sport

Escaramuza in Sayulita

Late last week, we saw this banner appear in town.

And we thought, “That looks fun. We should go.”

So, we tried to figure out exactly what this event was and where it would be held.

Like most things here, the internet might help, but there will be an element of word of mouth required, and it will probably test my Spanish comprehension.

An escaramuza team comprises 8 young women wearing beautiful, vibrant Adelita dress and their well-trained horses. Together, they ride intricately choreographed routines that include quick turns, pirouettes, and often horses crossing paths in the center of the arena at high speed. Interestingly to note, all of this is ridden side saddle.

Check out this short video to see some of the action!

It is a competition, and teams are scored according to the precision and difficulty of routines. The event we saw was among teams from 6 neighboring cities, including Sayulita. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you who won, I’m not sure. But I can tell you we had a great time experiencing a new part (for us) of Mexican culture. One of the things I love most about Mexico is all the bright colors, no drab neutrals here. This event was no different.