Approximately 400 guests gathered at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame (The Cowgirl) in Fort Worth, Texas, to celebrate Día de la Charra, a vibrant community event honoring the heritage, athleticism, and cultural significance of the escaramuza and the women of charrería. The celebration brought together charra teams, community leaders, artists, and supporters for a day of recognition, cultural performances, and family-friendly festivities.
“Sometimes revolutionary acts take place in museums, and I’m so proud that The Cowgirl is at the center of this one,” noted Diana Vela, Ph.D., Associate Executive Director. “We are the only U.S. museum to dedicate permanent gallery space to escaramuzas, the only museum to develop an escaramuza archive, the only museum to recognize mujeres charras históricas and the only museum to actively seek funding to assist escaramuzas while chronicling the sport’s growth in the U.S.”
The Cowgirl’s Viva La Vaquera Committee presented Charra Grants, generously sponsored by Las Tunas Ranches based in Chihuahua, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, and Danielle Cocanaugher of Fort Worth, to five escaramuza teams whose dedication continues to strengthen the tradition of charrería in the United States, with each receiving a $2,000 grant.
- Las Azaleas (California)
- Las Catalinas (Illinois)
- Villa de Guadalupe (Texas)
- Herencia Charra (Tennessee)
- Dinastía Charra (Texas)
In addition, the Soldaderas to Amazonas Collegiate Scholarship, sponsored by Danielle Cocanaugher, was awarded to Samantha Quintanar, a nursing student at Boise State University, recognizing her commitment to academic achievement and the future of women in charrería.
The event also celebrated competitive excellence by honoring Artesanía Mexicana of San Fernando Valley, Calif., as the highest scoring U.S. Team at the November 2025 national escaramuza competition in Aguascalientes, Mexico, highlighting the team’s remarkable performance on an international stage.
Two influential figures and one team were recognized as the 2026 Mujeres Charras Históricas (Historic Women of Charrería) for their enduring contributions to the sport and culture of charrería:
- Maribel Gutierrez, Perris, Calif.
- Teresa Castro, Canutillo, Texas
- Las Zapatistas, Canutillo, Texas
The commemorative camafeos (cameos) presented to award recipients were donated by Jaime Jimenez, President of the Coordination of Charrería in the United States, who attended the event in support of the honorees and the continued growth of the tradition.
Several distinguished guests shared remarks during the celebration. Gladys Roldán-de-Moras, a renowned fine artist raised in Monterrey, Mexico, now living in San Antonio, and a 2023 Cowgirl Honoree, reflected on her lifelong connection to the escaramuza tradition. Marking 30 years of painting escaramuzas in 2026, she shared how meaningful it is to see the increasing recognition of the women riders who inspire her work.
Remarks were also delivered by Luis Rodriguez Bucio, Consul General of Mexico in Dallas, and Fort Worth District 7 Councilwoman Macy Hill, both of whom highlighted the cultural importance of charrería and its growing presence within the Fort Worth community.
Guests were welcomed with a lively performance by TCU Mariachi Sangre Royal, while attendees enjoyed pan dulce and coffee from Con Azucar Café, along with café de olla donated by Nuestras Raíces Zacatecanas.
The broader Día de la Charra community celebration featured performances by Baile Folklórico Fort Worth, whose dancers captivated audiences with vibrant traditional routines. DJ students from Artes de la Rosa energized the crowd with a festive mix of mariachi, norteño, tejano, and cumbia music.
Families and guests also enjoyed games of lotería using special escaramuza-themed cards created for the event, as well as food from local favorite Beyond the Box food truck.
Now in its third year of recognizing outstanding women of charrería, The Cowgirl has recognized 20 women and awarded $20,000 in grants to eight adult and two youth escaramuza teams from across the nation.
