Hola Valencia

For the first time in its history, Spain is about to experience American-style rodeos. The Rodeo Europe Tour is coming to 12 cities on the Iberian peninsula and Valencia is one of the chosen — on the 26th and 27th of September, some of America’s best cowboys ride into the city.

For a people as fixated on horses and bulls as the Spanish, it’s kind of unbelievable that a rodeo has never been staged here. Maybe it’s just the obnoxious American in me who thinks that all aspects of my homeland’s culture should be eternally available in every country… but rodeos are awesome, and I can’t believe they wouldn’t be massively popular in Spain. I’m not being ironic. The 8 seconds that a cowboy rides a bucking bronco are incredibly thrilling.

And it’s not just the bronc riding… rodeos consist of 7 separate events: Bareback (Bronco) Riding, Bull Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Tie-Down Roping and Barrel Racing. And the only Spanish participant in the rodeos is a barrel jumper from Valencia, Patricia Jarque. Represent!

Tickets start at €22, which isn’t bad at all.