Hispanic Heritage Month: Illinois women revive centuries-old Mexican tradition of escaramuza riding

CHICAGO - This Hispanic Heritage Month, a group of young women is keeping a centuries-old Mexican tradition alive, right here in Illinois.

It's compared to synchronized swimming, but on horseback, and it's all about precision.

For 21-year-old Karina Maldonado, it's a sport that runs very deep in her family DNA.

"I'm the fifth generation in my family from my great-great-grandfather who started it," Maldonado said.

It's called escaramuza and consists of eight girls or women and eight horses performing very fine-tuned exercises in a circular arena. The escaramuzas, as they're called, wear traditional dresses and sombreros and much like synchronized swimming, the team is judged on coordination and precision.

Escaramuza derives from charerria, the equine national sport of Mexico, which had been men-only dating all the way back to the 1600's. But in the 1950's, it expanded to women, who ride side-saddle in competing their tightly choreographed routines that are not only difficult, but can be dangerous, too.

"As stressful as it is, it's the best experience ever," Maldonado said.

The goal is to perform as perfect a routine as possible.

"It's not easy. Definitely not easy, but very rewarding," Maldonado said.

Maldonado has formed four teams right the Chicago area, including one for girls as young as four years old. They practice here at Rancho La Ilusion, not far from Bourbannais.

Melissa Robles has been riding ever since she can remember.

"It has really shown me the passion that you can have for a sport," Robles said.

And in order to compete, it all comes down to the details. Judges zero in on the smallest of details, all the way down to the embroidering of the outfits.

"You can't just wear any color. You can't wear pink. You can't wear yellow. You have to have different neutral tones," Maldonado said. "Our riendas, our cinchos, and our serape here in back all have to consist of the same pattern and same design, not just between my horse alone, but between all eight horses as well."

Why such attention to detail? Escaramuza is as much about honoring cultural heritage as it is about teamwork.

"A lot of us it's first generation, practicing the sport here," Robles said. "And that means a lot to a lot of us because that's something that we eventually will show our kids later on. And it's a legacy starting with us, that's what it is."

This year Illinois fielded a record four escaramuza teams which qualified to represent the U.S. in a national competition in Mexico.