July 21, 2023
(Cotacachi/Quiroga), Ecuador
Chagras are the cowboys of Ecuador, and they compete in parades, horseback riding, and other competitions in full traditional dress.
‘History‘
Andean Cowboys are called Chagra, when the Spaniards brought horses to South America, they discovered that the Andes mountain range was very difficult to ride its wide variety of soils and deep canyons. For this reason, they devised a way for the locals to ride horses so that they could guide them through the treacherous terrain, and this is how the Chagra tradition as Andean cowboys was born.
‘Activities’
Paseo del Chagra takes place in the town of Machachi, in the province of Cotopaxi, and includes parades with horses, bulls, Andean music groups, dances and a variety of agricultural products from the region. In and around
Machachi, in the highlands near Parque Nacional Volcan Cotopaxi, a national park dotted with volcanoes, this can be a fascinating festival to see.
