June 18 2018

Paseo del Chagra (horse parade)

chenry 2018 Year 5, June

Every year the Paseo de Chagra begins in Cotacachi and ends in the next town of Quiroga. The Ecuadorian cowboys have a special relationship with their horses and Chagra literally means Spirit of the Highlands. The Cowboys have exceptional horseman skills. One of my favorites is the Paso Fino which literally performs a high-stepping prancing dance. The youngest rider was 2 years old! The parade lasts 1 1/2 hours and I have no idea how many horses there were. What is a parade without music? Well, there is plenty of music that will also have you dancing. So judge for yourself in the photos below.

Each year hundreds of cowboys come down from the mountain and are decked out in their traditional riding outfits. The event is part of the agricultural festivities of Cotacachi and as the story goes began in 1877. The parade ends in Quiroga where a rodeo type of event occurs with bulls and additional presentation of the skills of the horseman. There is even a dance between a rider and a beautiful woman.

The parade starts off with a group of small children riding their stick horses.

I think this is the best horse parade ever. The riders are exceptional with dancing horses that are beautiful. The photos below will give you an idea of how wonderful this event is and the whole town turns out to cheer the riders and horses to perform what I think is magic. Texas cowboys do not hold a candle to these Ecuadorian cowboys but of course, that is just my opinion.

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What is he doing here? Always surprises in Cotacachi.