South American crowds drawn to rodeo thrill

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Thousands of admirers come to see the fleeting seconds when the valiant gaucho manages to hang on, perched atop a wild, bucking colt.

At least for a week, the Creole traditions of the gaucho and ranch life on the South American grasslands are reborn within Uruguay's capital of Montevideo.

The horsemanship competitions known as "jineteadas" are attracting droves of fans who size up the region's "jinetes" — literally, jockeys — borne of riding traditions native to Uruguay, Argentina and southern Brazil.

The distinctive rodeos received a boost last year when Uruguayan lawmakers declared it a national sport.

Montevideo's city government estimates that about 200,000 spectators attend the event each year at the fairgrounds of the Rural Association of Uruguay in the capital's Prado district.

When riding wild colts, jinetes can compete riding in a saddle — or by merely clinging to a thin strip of leather circling the horse's neck.

The goal: Hang on long enough to earn a celebratory victory lap around the rodeo ring — holding the national flag.