Tours and Activities:

Rodeo Afternoon in Frutillar

Every rodeo gathering is a true celebration, where both riders and their horses shine as they compete in the traditional corridas, striving to earn a place in the championship.

While walking through Frutillar, we reached its medialuna, the arena dedicated to the practice of Chilean rodeo. Open to the general public, it allows visitors to get close and understand the development of this sport, which is deeply connected to rural life.

Especially during the summer, events are held that award points toward the national championships, and attendance is always high. We came to watch the corridas at the facilities of the Frutillar Rodeo Club, located on Richter Street.

With the event already underway, we were welcomed by music and the voices of the announcers who animated the afternoon, introducing the members of each collera and the names of the horses entering the arena. From the semicircular stands, the audience followed every maneuver with applause, comments, and gestures. As the riders’ work raised dust in the medialuna, with the Chilean flag waving and Lake Llanquihue as a back, the scene was especially captivating.

We then set out to understand the course of each corrida, a reenactment of some of the most valued rural tasks in Chilean tradition. After the steer is released into the ruego, both riders must complete two laps in the first section of the medialuna, known as the apiñadero, guiding the animal in a coordinated manner.

Next, a large gate opens into a wider area, where they must perform three atajadasquinchadas in the designated zones, immobilizing the steer. To do this, one rider positions himself perpendicular to the animal while the other blocks its path, using only spurs, precise footwork, and short reins.

The competitors focus all their skill and effort on achieving the highest possible score. They can be heard encouraging one another as they execute each maneuver alongside their horses. Each corrida can earn up to thirteen points, according to a system of additions and deductions based on the performance of the rider-horse pair.

At the end of the day, the jury delivers its verdict, announcing the winners and the scores that qualify them for the great national rodeo held every year in Rancagua. There, the Champion of Chile becomes the highest expression of this activity and, over four days, brings together the country’s finest riders and horses.

Cueca music and traditional folk songs accompanied the afternoon between each stage of the event, creating the atmosphere of a true countryside celebration. Meanwhile, we strolled through the stalls selling traditional items, visited the refreshment stands, and especially the area dedicated to the presentation of the horses ridden by the huasos. The Chilean criollocorralero horses, carefully trained for this demanding discipline, also had their moment of recognition through the Sello de Raza award, which honors the specimen ed for its morphology, purity of characteristics, and sporting performance.

We paused to observe the refined and elegant attire of the rodeo men. With their classic wide-brimmed hats, mantles worn ponchos, and fine leather accessories, they embody a distinctive elegance. Among themselves, they exchanged opinions, memories of past competitions, and predictions for the days to come.

We were visitors passing through, yet we managed to grasp the deep significance of this quintessential rural sport and to experience, ourselves, an authentic day of celebration.

See also: Hotels in Frutillar and other accommodation venues