A group of 10 girls between 7-11 Coachella Valley years practice at least twice a week to hone their equestrian skills . Their goal, to win an international skirmish championship in Querétaro, Mexico in the summer.
Escaramuza Charra Alteza is the first youth skirmish team in the Coachella Valley and the only skirmish team that represents southern California recognized by the Mexican Federation of Charrería. The equestrian sport of skirmishes is only for women. They must ride the horse with both legs to the side while performing an impeccable choreography.
One of the nine participants is Miranda López, from 10 year old, who started riding shortly after the group was created in June of 2021. She expressed that although it is a bit difficult for her, she enjoys it a lot.
“I feel very happy when I ride because I like how they dress and they look very pretty”, said the girl.
She added that the group has not only helped her to focus on equestrian sport but also on her education. Her grades have improved and she now concentrates better on her studies.
Another participant is Arlinda Pérez, 8 years old, who said she likes be part of the group because she has met new friends who have the same passion for horses as she does.
“I have learned to ride my mare and do my routine,” said Pérez.
His parents bought his mare four months ago and he decided to name her Angel in honor of the guardian angel. The little girl explained that she is a little nervous for the upcoming competitions, but she is also very excited and ready to win.
One of the youngest participants is Xiomara Jacinto, 7 years old . The girl stated that she found her passion for horses after seeing the Disney movie Spirit.
“I wanted to be like Lucky”, said Jacinto referring to the main character of the film who is a girl who owns a horse named Spirit.
Jacinto explained that he also likes to wear the dress as it represents his culture and his estate. She added that she feels a bit nervous about the upcoming competitions, but she is ready to help her group to be the winner.
Proud Parents
Leonel López, Miranda’s father, said that he started in the charrería at 13 years and since his four children were born he has instilled in them the love of horses and the Mexican culture.
He explained that when he found out about the group of skirmishes in the city of Indio, López did not hesitate in taking Miranda.
“My daughter has ridden a little since she was little and I asked her if she wanted to participate and she was delighted to say yes”, Leonel said. “Since we arrived, Miranda liked it, she made friends with the girls and since then we haven’t stopped.”
Yolanda Mendoza, Arlinda’s mother, explained that she has always liked animals and when she found out about Gallegos’ group she took her daughter and from the first moment she really enjoyed it.
“Since we found out that they were going to compete, we received the news with open arms because we try to include them in the Mexican culture, language and customs,” said Yolanda, who was born in the United States but spent periods of her childhood in Chihuahua and Jalisco.
Empowering girls through sport
María A. Gallegos, coach of the team, indicated that the group was formed in June of 2021 due to the lack of activities during the Covid-pandemic 19. The objective is to honor, revive and keep alive the cultural and rural traditions of the charrería through empowering and healthy activities for youth.
She said that a neighbor asked her if she could teach her how to ride and she she accepted and invited other girls to learn.
“We started riding to distract them a bit,” said Gallegos, who is known to friends and family as Toni.
Word began to spread and later Gallegos posted on Facebook that they were looking for more girls to form the group Escaramuza Charra Alteza and more girls began to arrive.
The trainer has more than three decades of experience as a skirmisher. She said that since she was a child she liked to see the Adelitas and the charros parade in her native San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
“I grew up on a ranch and whenever I saw them I said, ‘one day I’m going to dress nicely and I’m going to ride like them’”, recalled the coach.
In 1982 immigrated to the United States, settled in the Coachella Valley, first in the city of Cathedral and later moved to Indio where he bought his ranch. She eventually learned to ride, she joined a skirmish group in 1991 and a few years later she created the group herself. of her, Las Potosinas, where she included her daughters.
Now that he has the Escaramuza Charra Alteza group well organized, Gallegos said that is starting a new group with younger girls called Nuevo Amanecer.
Gallegos explained that the most important thing a girl needs when she wants to learn to be an escaramuza is to have the full support of her parents. They need a horse, it doesn’t have to be purebred and if they don’t have space at home, Gallegos offers them pens.
“I do not charge them, only that they bring them food and I feed them. Nothing else”, he explained, adding that now all the girls who are part of the Escaramuza Alteza group already have their horses.
López said that he feels lucky to be able to offer this opportunity to his children since there are many children who would like to do it but due to lack of resources they do not achieve it. He plans that he will soon include his 6-year-old daughter Isabella in the skirmish group.
Competitions begin
The group is already preparing for the four competitions in the United States before traveling to Mexico; the Pre-State, State 1, State 2 and Nacionalito, Gallegos said.
The first pre-state competition is the 15 of May. In June the pre-state and later the national where they will compete against groups from Illinois and Texas.
The Alteza group is scheduled to travel to the state of Querétaro in the summer. Now the girls and their families are doing everything in their power to collect the more than $19,0001 they need to make the trip. They have already done food sales and have a GoFundMe page.
The group is expected to travel about 50 people who include scrimmagers, parents and coaches. The girls cannot bring their horses so they must rent their horses. They plan to leave at least a week in advance so that the skirmishes can be mated with the horses that will be participating.
Eight girls will participate and one will be on the bench as a replacement in case it is needed.
“Right now the most difficult thing is that we have to rent a hotel for all the girls and their parents, we have to buy the flights and rent the horses. From there, the other expenses are less,” said Galleos.
She hopes that with this group the little skirmishes can proudly represent the roots of her parents and grandparents, since all the girls are born in the United States.
Her first Pre-state competition of hers is this 15 in May and the national one on June 3, 2022.
To support the group you can visit gofundme and type: Help us make escaramuza history!