A Mexican charro horsemanship test in which the rider shows how well a horse has been trained to stop, turn and back up on command, scored by a panel of judges.
Cala de caballo is the horse-control test of Mexican charreria. The rider works a single horse through a set of movements that show how responsive, balanced and collected the animal is: a fast run into the arena, a sliding stop, turns on the haunches, and steps backwards, all under the rider’s seat and rein rather than force. It is judged on the quality of the horse’s work as much as on the rider’s skill.
In the template it is an individual item for the charro. A competitor enters alone, on his own horse, and is placed in an age-based group: Dientes de Leche up to 10, Infantil A and B for older children, Juvenil for riders under 18 by birth year, Libre for the general adult field and Mayores for riders aged 50 and over. The same item is assigned to every group, so an organiser can run the whole age range with one set-up.
A round is a single ride. The judge or panel awards points for each part of the movement, adds credit for particularly well-executed work and deducts for faults. A complete, clean cala is worth 20 points in the source rules, and the total is an open-ended sum of points, extras and deductions rather than a mark out of a fixed maximum, so a poor ride can fall low and a cala can even finish with a negative total.
Organisers include it because it is one of the nine traditional events (suertes) of a charro championship, and because it is the event where horsemanship, rather than roping or bull and mare riding, is on display. It is often the first test of the day, setting the pace for the roping and riding events that follow.
Where Cala de Caballo comes from
Cala de caballo comes from the working horsemanship of the Mexican hacienda, where a horse that could be stopped sharply and turned on the spot was essential for handling cattle. Charreria later turned these skills into a formal sport.
Where Cala de Caballo is run
On eTalenter this item is used in one template, built from the official rules of the national charro championship of Mexico. Charreria is practised and competed in across Mexico and in Mexican communities in the United States, but each association publishes its own rule book, categories and scoring tables, so coordinators should follow the rules of the event being run.
- Mexico
Key facts
- Individual item: one rider and one horse per entry
- Template assigns it to six age groups, from Dientes de Leche (up to 10) to Mayores (50 and over)
- A complete cala is worth 20 points in the source rules
- Totals are open-ended: points plus extras minus deductions, so there is no fixed maximum and a ride can finish negative
- Run in Spanish; no time limit is set in the template
- One of nine traditional charro events (suertes) listed on the template
On eTalenter, Cala de Caballo is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Cala de Caballo is most often entered as an Individual competition, commonly run for Male, typically scored out of 20.
The scoring method the templates attach to this item, and what that scale means. The category this competition is filed under when a template is installed. Others in this category: Dance, Music, Drama, Mimicry, Debate, Elocution, Story Telling, Group Song, Action Song eTalenter matches an item to its criteria on the words in its name, and creates exactly these when the template is installed. No criteria match this name, so none are created automatically — judges score it on the event’s own criteria instead.How it is scored
Where it sits
Judging criteria installed for it
What judges look at in Cala de Caballo
What a Cala de Caballo panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Response to the rider: the horse should obey light aids, and a horse that fights the rein or needs obvious force loses points
- The stop: a sharp, straight halt from speed that keeps the horse balanced on its haunches earns more than a drifting or sideways stop
- Turns and the rein-back: turns should be tight and clean and the steps backwards straight and unhurried, with no rushing or swinging of the quarters
- Extras for quality: points beyond the base are awarded for particularly well-executed movements, so a polished ride can outscore a merely correct one
- Faults and deductions: breaks of the pattern, loss of control or other infractions are deducted, which is why a cautious, clean cala beats a bold, ragged one
- Fit to the group: young riders are compared with their own age group, so judges mark the work shown against the level expected of that group
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Cala de Caballo under Scoring Setup, or start from judge scoring and tabulation software.
How to prepare for Cala de Caballo
How entrants and their teachers usually get Cala de Caballo right on the day:
- Read the event rules first for the pattern, the points table and the list of faults, and rehearse exactly that pattern, not a general version of it
- Spend months on the horse’s basics, stopping, turning and backing on a light rein, before putting the full sequence together
- Practise the stop and the rein-back as separate drills, because they are the movements where judges see control most plainly
- Rehearse the whole ride in a ring of the same size as the competition arena so the distances feel familiar on the day
- Keep the horse calm: warm up quietly, avoid over-schooling on the day and arrive early so it can settle in the surroundings
- Check tack, dress and the horse’s fitness well before the event, and have an experienced charro watch a practice ride and point out faults you cannot feel
Events that run this (1)
Ready-made templates that already include this competition. Installing one sets it up for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cala de Caballo judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Individual entry, commonly for Male, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
Is cala de caballo a team or an individual event?
It is individual. Each entry is one rider on one horse, and the template assigns it to every age group so each rider is scored on his own ride.
Is there a maximum score?
No fixed maximum. A complete cala scores 20 points in the source rules, but extras are added and deductions subtracted, so the total is open-ended and can even be negative.
Who can enter?
The template sets up six age groups, from Dientes de Leche (up to 10) through Infantil, Juvenil (under 18 by birth year) and Libre to Mayores (50 and over). Coordinators should confirm eligibility with the rules of the event being run.
Is it judged on the horse or the rider?
Both. The ride is scored on how well the horse responds and how correctly and smoothly the rider asks for each movement.
Similar competitions
Items whose names share a word with this one — usually the same discipline in another form.
Want the full judging picture? Read judge scoring and tabulation software, or browse every on stage competition item.
Try Cala de Caballo in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Cala de Caballo, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
