Corrida de Sortija: the game of a gaucho

Amongst the many activities and interests a gaucho has during their spare time, like drinking mate, playing the guitar and riding their horses, there is a particular game that caught their attention.

Corrida de Sortija is a game ideal for the gaucho to show off his impressive riding skills. The game consists of a wooden structure placed in the center of a street or plaza where people can gather around to enjoy it. This structure is made from two upright wooden posts of about 10 feet or 3 meters that are crossed by a beam. In the middle of this cross-beam, a small ring (or sortija) is suspended.

The goal was for the gaucho to make use of his riding skills and, while standing on the saddle’s stapes galloping at full speed, introduce a wooden stick or twig inside the small suspended ring without knocking it off the beam. This game gave countless of hours of fun to both the gauchos playing and the local people cheering for them on the sides.

Would you give Corrida de Sortija a try?