The Cavalgada - Cowboy Parade

This past weekend opened the county fair here in Rondonópolis, the city we moved to 3 months ago.  Our city hosts the largest fair of the state. To get everything started, they have a Cavalgada (Cowboy Parade) through several of the main streets of town.  It travelled a distance of approximately 4 miles, and ended at the fair grounds where they had an award ceremony for the participants.  

This cart was at the head of the parade. Religion is very prominent here. That is the Catholic matron saint sitting in front of the girl, and the plaque on the cart says, "Faith is the strength of our land."  

There were many horses, mules, cows, and bulls - all ridden by the cowboys.  What?!? Haven't you ever seen someone bridle a cow and ride it?

These bulls are massive.  They are different than the breeds in the States, and larger than any I've ever seen there, yet gentle enough to be ridden down the main streets of a large city with all the noise that goes along with a parade.  

There was obviously no age limit on the cowboys :)

Several of the cowboys had these horns that they would blow periodically. The horns have a low, gentle sound to them. 

It only took about 20 minutes for the entire cavalgada to pass us, but it was worth seeing!  

P.S. I thought this photo was funny: Us watching the parade, and those around us watching us!  (I guess you would have to have lived in a place where you are the obvious minority (or novelty) in order to appreciate the feeling. :)