Charro dazzles rodeo audiences

The Sisters Rodeo has brought many famous cowboys to Sisters - from Lane Frost to Ty Murray to Central Oregon's own Bobby Mote. This year's event featured its share of legendary performers - one of them its specialty act, Tomas Garcilazo.

Garcilazo is as respected in the world of La Charreria as top bull riders and bronc peelers are in American rodeo. His skill with a rope and his exquisite horsemanship have taken him from Broadway to Paris and all along a rodeo circuit where he was named the Specialty Act of the Year in 2007.

Born in Mexico City the heir to a charro tradition, Garcilazo moved to the U.S. in 1992 at the age of 21, settling in Southern California. He was already a skilled charro, having grown up the son and grandson of charros, surrounded by brothers and cousins who constantly pushed each other to be better hands with a rope and on a horse.

"I developed a passion and (spent) all my time off school practicing with the rope," he said.

Garcilazo says the first thing he did after moving to the States was to go to school to improve his English. And he continued to develop his skills.

His first break into show business came when Linda Rondstadt was putting together a tour around her album of traditional Mexican ranchero music, "Canciones de Mi Padre."

"I got picked to do a Linda Rondstadt concert series and I went on the road with them a little bit," Garcilazo said.

In the world of La Charreria, there are two paths to take: competition in the traditional charreria rodeo, or showmanship, demonstrating charro skills to the public.

Garcilazo said he never really made a conscious choice, but his career led him down the showman's path. His booted feet were set firmly on that path when he was selected to perform on Broadway in the hit show "Will Rogers Follies" based upon the life of the 1920s-'30s master rope artist and humorist.

That show toured through 56 cities in 48 states, and Garcilazo toured with it for four-and-a-half years.

"It was a first-class tour, and I went to the White House twice," he said.

Then it was off to a stint with a Wild West Show at Disneyland Paris. He loved his time in France, and he has a brother and cousins who are still riding with the show.

Showmanship had entered his blood.

"I kind of like the attention and the showmanship, and I developed a passion," Garcilazo said.

In 1997, Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) members who had seen Garcilazo in Paris invited him as a guest to perform at the National Finals Rodeo.

"My debut was at the top, the Super Bowl of rodeo," he said. "I was thrilled with the experience."

So thrilled that he decided to make rodeo his next career move. He became a PRCA member in 1998 and set about creating his dazzling specialty act.

"It was one of my biggest dreams to do this - to be on the road with my horses and my trailer," he said.

While Garcilazo's skill with a rope is breathtaking, it is the level of training he puts in with his horses that is his greatest source of pride. The Sisters Rodeo audience witnessed jaw-dropping technique as Garcilazo led his Azteca (Andalusian/Quarterhorse cross) through tricks such as crossing his legs and bowing, crawling on his knees, and sitting like a dog.

Garcilazo also did rope tricks while standing in Chollo's saddle.

Upon his American Quarterhorse, Tater, Garcilazo spun out a 50-foot rawhide riata loop and galloped inside it around the arena.

While he has chosen to pursue the path of the showman, Garcilazo continues to compete when he can in charrerias. Scheduling makes it tough. He was in a charreria in Mexico last week, but had to miss the finals to come to Sisters.

But it is a life he loves, working with his beloved horses, hearing the roar of appreciation from the crowd, acting as an ambassador for La Charreria. Garcilazo has found his passion and pursued it to the pinnacle of his profession. He believes that is a path anyone can follow.

"I think in life we all have something to share," he says.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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