Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Charrería, the sport that identifies the country internationally, can be practiced in Puerto Vallarta thanks to the joint work of the Municipal Government, through the Municipal Sports Council and the Jalisco CODE, who will implement the "Charrería para todos" project in this city.

At a press conference held last week, Puerto Vallarta Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña announced that, through this program, free Charrería classes will be offered to children over the age of 6 at the El Relicario charro grounds in Ixtapa, and the Ramón Ibarría González charro arena in Mojoneras.

The Mayor expressed his pleasure in the opening of a charrería school that gives children and young people the opportunity to practice this sport. "Puerto Vallarta is known for organizing two charrería tournaments each year. It is a sport that both locals and tourists enjoy," he said.

Carlos Alberto González Cisneros, the Director of CODE Jalisco Competitive Sports, said that this type of program not only allows children to develop their athletic talents through the practice of sports, but also serves as an effective crime prevention strategy, as it keeps kids out of trouble.

In this sense, and with the endorsement of the Charros de Jalisco Association, Puerto Vallarta joins the other municipalities n Jalisco that are already operating these types of schools, including San Juan de los Lagos, Guadalajara, Chiquilistlán and Tapalpa. Sara Eugenia Castillón Ochoa, the municipal president of Mascota, said that since Charrería plays such an important role in Mexico as both a sport and a tradition, she would fully support a school in her municipality.

Jorge Manuel Preciado, the CODE Jalisco Director of Charrería, pointed out that the National Olympiad recognizes the sport of charrería, and that Jalisco stands out at the national level.

He said that, since Charrería plays such an important role in Mexico as both a sport and a tradition, the "Charrería para todos" classes are free. However, since it is an activity that involves some risk, all participants are required to pay for annual insurance coverage, which costs $350 pesos.

The Charrería classes will be taught on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:00 pm. Those who are interested in participating can register at the Comude Vallarta offices or directly on the charro arenas in Ixtapa and Mojoneras.

He explained that those who attend the charrería classes will have a period of approximately eight months to learn the basic elements of the sport. Afterwards, the Puerto Vallarta school will host a charro championship with local students competing against the other schools in Jalisco.

It should be noted that the classes will be taught by Ramón Ibarría who, carrying on the family tradition, started practicing this sport at a very young age. In 2005, he competed in a national charro competition for children in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, where he not only managed to pass to the final round but also won second place.

In 2012, he received an invitation to join a charro team from Tijuana on a tour throughout the Mexican Republic, which allowed him to acquire more knowledge and hone his skills.

Then, in 2013, Ibarría was invited to be part of the National Sports Commission, a position that entails a lot of responsibility, and he remains there to date. In addition, he has attended courses with Andrés Aceves, who has an outstanding career and fully supports supports this program.

Source: puertovallarta.gob.mx