Argentina

November 6-29, 2009

November 26: Gaucho Ranch and Tango Show: The Gaucho Skills Show

To finish off our day at the estancia we got to see a gaucho skills show. Besides the amazing herding skills we had witnessed in Antonia de Areca, we also got to see some amazing riding skills whereby the riders had to grab tiny rings suspended from a post while riding past at full speed. Apparently these kinds of riding skills would allow a gaucho to ask for a lady's hand in marriage which prompted all sorts of questions about Auntie Christine's marital status from Samantha. *grin* How DID auntie Christine get that whole collection of those little argentine gaucho rings in her apartment?! ;-)

Christopher slept through much of the show, unaware that he himself was once again providing lots of amusement for the tourists. I'm sure there are pictures of Christopher sleeping in his carrier all over the world!

After the show we had a final little snack before it was time to head back to Buenos Aires again.

The tourists are already gathered in the shade of the stands to watch the gaucho skills show.

Samantha is ready to take lots of pictures.

A pretty moon.

The gauchos arrive with their horses.

And there's the smiling Don Silvano himself!

The first test is one where the gauchos have to ride past at full speed and grab the rings on the way.

Missed!

Rodrigues decides to give the gauchos another chance.

They take off...

Victorious!

Christopher is missing all the excitement.

A display of herding the horses with the use of a leader horse and bell.

The gaucho on horseback with the leader horse.

The other horses follow the sound of the bell on the leader horse.

Rodrigo, grandson of Don Silvano himself.

A second gaucho with a group of horses.

It gets pretty chaotic with all the horses galloping around.

A demonstration on how a gaucho can mount a horse without a saddle... first the horse is brought down to the ground...

...then the gaucho sits down on the horse's back and the horse gets up.

Christopher is still sleeping.

Rodrigo holds up a smaller ring. The gaucho who gets this one will have his pick of which woman to marry. ;-)

First try... missed!

Second try... victorious!

One hit, one miss.

Samantha watching the show with excitement.

The victor gets a kiss from one of the ladies in the audience who gets to keep the ring in return. (Note that we've seen Auntie Christine's stash of rings in her apartment! No wonder she likes this show so much! *grin*)