Gauchos

Today, we traveled outside of Buenos Aires to the countryside, where we visited an "estancia", and were introduced to the gauchos and their lifestyle.  We were treated to an amazing display of their horsemanship (which was accomplished with the aid of two very enthusiastic border collies).  We also watched some of the traditional folk dancing and listened to folk songs and Argentinian music, and then we were well fed with delicious barbecued beef and chicken.

Here are two handsome gauchos, and also a shot of one successfully performing the "carreras de sortijas" -- a traditional Gaucho sport well described by Thomas Hutchinson in 1868 as:  "La Sortija" (the ring) is now-a-days the most frequent Gaucho sport, to be seen in Carnival and other festal times. It is played as follows. In the principal Plaza of the chief towns, and at about 5 pm, you will see placed in the centre of the main street, or principal Plaza, two upright wooden posts about ten feet high, crossed by a beam ... In the middle of this cross-beam, and underneath, is loosely suspended a small ring, not larger than a wedding-ring. A Gaucho, galloping at the fastest beneath this, is to bear off the ring on a bit of twig, about the calibre of an ordinary pencil, or the handle of a steel pen. Numberless are the failures, for knocking off, without retaining it on the stick, is not sufficient. But many, of course, are the successes, each of which is greeted by a "Viva!" "Viva!"  Needless to say, our gaucho was successful, and we all cried "Viva! Viva!"