 | Traditional Skill/Art Craft: Charrería Years Awarded: 2019 Contact Information: Phone: (503)320-7782 Email: mendozajosue17@yahoo.com |
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Josue Noel Napoles Mendoza is an Equine Veterinary Assistant at Countryside Equine Services (Ridgefield, WA). Though born and raised in Portland, OR, from his earliest memory he accompanied his grandfather on annual trips to Michoaca'n, Mexico, where his family is from. Mendoza's grandfather taught him to ride horses, gather livestock from the fields and work with them, as everyday practice for charrería.
After learning as much as he could from his grandfather, Mendoza began to learn on his own. In 2012, he went to Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico for a charrería course that lasted two weeks. He has continued practicing rope tricks since then and is currently signed with a team in Oregon. He has won numerous awards for his skills in charrería.
APPRENTICE BIOGRAPHY - Columbia Napoles-Mendoza 2019
Columbia is the brother of Josue and has been riding horses for seven years. He is extremely grateful for his family, especially his grandfather, who supported Columbia during his time learning charrería and competing in the sport. Through competing in charrería, Columbia has met great people who he considers friends to this day.
Columbia would like to work on his rope management and rope tricks during his apprenticeship with his mentor Josue. It is Columbia's ambition to learn modern rope tricks so that one day he can perform with his brother and show audiences the joy of following your culture and family traditions.
Describe your traditional art.
Body
Charrería is a cultural tradition passed amongst families in Mexico since 1933. It started with those laboring in the field with undomesticated animals, specifically horses and cattle, as they figured out how to domesticate them, treat them for health, brand them, and more. The ranchers had to find ways to capture the animals and move them around to different sites in the fields. This involved roping them.
Over time, charrería also became converted into a sport, making it more structured and regulated, with a rule book. A competition has a minimum of three teams with a maximum of fifteen teammates. Those who participate in the individual events accumulate points for their team by demonstrating the docility of the horse, riding them bareback, roping cattle and other horses, and other events. It is performed more formally in arenas that have a round pen combined with a rectangular-shaped pen.
It is much easier to practice charrería in Mexico, because throughout the country, weather conditions are more favorable. If it rains, almost all the arenas are closed. In the United States, charrería is practiced mostly during the summer in Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and a few other states.
The trick-roping part, which is what I'm mostly involved in, can be done in ceremonies, rituals, special occasions and competitions.
How did you come to learn this tradition?
Body
I am a U.S. citizen, born and raised in Portland, Oregon; my family and I are also from the country of Mexico – more specifically from the state of Michoaca'n.
Ever since I can remember, my grandfather Jose would take me to Mexico every year. He would take me with him to the fields to gather and work with livestock. Every day after school, he would take me to the farm where he had his first horse; he taught me how to ride on him. Throughout all these years, he has done charrería, and slowly but surely, he started teaching me into this lifestyle.
I gained so much passion for this cultural tradition and sport that I started paying more attention to all the things that revolved around it. My grandfather began to teach me the roping skills and rope tricks, up to where his knowledge let him. After that, I began to learn on my own, because I wanted to advance. I started looking up videos on YouTube and watching at my grandfather's competitions. In 2012, I went to Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico for a charrería course that lasted two weeks. Since then I have kept practicing rope tricks and am currently signed with a team here in Oregon.
Why is this cultural tradition important to your community?
Body
This tradition is part of my culture in every way. It is important to my community because we put in a strong effort to carry the tradition from our family members from Mexico, who are the ones who instilled it in us. It is a way to feel good about ourselves and become known to others outside of our community who might be interested, and maybe get other communities to demonstrate what they have acquired from their own families.
As a Hispanic human being, I am very proud of my race and community. I like to get involved with anything that has to do with my culture, and this is what my culture consists of: farming, family, charrería, horses, and roping. I want to be a role model for others, not only younger kids, but maybe also adults who are interested in learning.
This cultural tradition is part of everyday life, and has to be if you want to be successful competing in the sport. It is part of everyday life because if you own horses, you have to take care of them on a daily basis, and that means cleaning the stall, providing food and water, grooming them and taking good care of their feet.
Experience/Honors
Body
1st Place Mare Catching On Foot State Charro Championship OREGON 2010
3rd Place Mare Catching On Foot Regional Charro Championship IDAHO 2011
2nd Place Mare Catching On Foot State Charro Championship OREGON 2012
3rd All Events State Charro Championship OREGON 2012
1st Place Mare Catching On Foot Guadalupano Charro Tournament OREGON 2012
1st Place Mare Catching On Horse Guadalupano Charro Tournament OREGON 2012
3rd Place Mare Catching On Horse Regional Charro Championship OREGON 2012
1st Place Mare Catching On Foot Revolution Charro Tournament OREGON 2013
1st Place Heeling De La Amistad Charro Tournament OREGON 2013
1st Place Mare Catching On Foot Northeast From the Pacific Charro Tournament OREGON 2013
1st Place Mare Catching on Foot Charro Circuit OREGON 2014
3rd Place Mare Catching on Foot State Charro Championship OREGON 2014
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse State Charro Championship OREGON 2014
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse State Charro Championship OREGON 2015
2nd Place Mare Catching on Horse Guadalupano Charro Tournament WASHINGTON 2016
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse State Charro Championship WASHINGTON 2016
3rd Place Heeling State Charro Championship WASHINGTON 2016
1st Place Mare Catching on Foot Paisanos Unidos Charro Tournament OREGON 2016
1st Place Heeling Guadalupano Charro Tournament WASHINGTON 2016
1st Place Heeling State Charro Championship WASHINGTON 2017
2nd Place Mare Catching on Foot Guadalupano Charro Tournament OREGON 2017
1st Place Heeling De La Amistad Charro Tournament WASHINGTON 2017
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse Guadalupano Charro Tournament OREGON 2017
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse De La Amistad Charro Tournament WASHINGTON 2017
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse State Charro Championship WASHINGTON 2017
1st Place Heeling State Charro Championship WASHINGTON 2017
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse State Charro Championship WASHINGTON 2017
1st Place Heeling Charro State Championship WASHINGTON 2017
1st Place Mare Catching on Foot Guadalupano Charro Tournament OREGON 2018
1st Place Mare Catching on Horse Guadalupano Charro Tournament OREGON 2018
Visit OFN's Culture Keepers Roster to learn more about the artist.
Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program
More OFN programs
OFN main page