![Four young women on horseback dressed in the same dresses and hats looking into camera.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/54f5379e-527d-4bbf-8268-5f8c5c00f805/STOCKPKG_MM10220_CJ_Escaramuza_7706_14%20copy.jpg)
See stunning images of female equestrians inspired by the Mexican Revolution
A Swiss photographer and horse lover became fascinated with escaramuzas, who practice a colorful and historic sport to connect to their heritage.
“It’s elegant and powerful—and also kind of dangerous,” says photographer Constance Jaeggi, describing escaramuza charra, an all-female Mexican rodeo event popular in communities across North America. Riders known as escaramuzas sit sidesaddle in colorful dresses inspired by fighters of the Mexican Revolution. In teams of eight, they perform veritable ballets on horseback—frequently at a gallop. Growing up in Switzerland, Jaeggi adored horses and learned to ride at age 14. Nearly two decades later while living on a Texas ranch, she competed in equestrian contests and became fascinated with escaramuzas, seeing them as kindred cowgirls. After traveling the United States to interview and photograph them, she began to see how the sport offers Mexican American women a sense of connection to their heritage.
(Mexican traditions live on in California through female rodeo performers.)
![Five young women in red dresses and yellow belts on the stone stairs.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/b9ef0be9-6223-461f-a66b-25e6ad747f0a/STOCKPKG_MM10220_000014380015%20copy%202.jpg)
![Profile portrait of young woman in sombrero and red ribbon in her hair.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/669c788a-d675-4849-9b63-a15d79a80b7d/STOCKPKG_MM10220_12_000014290002%20copy%202.jpg)
![Portrait of young woman in blue dress and sombrero looking into camera.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/41742730-dc24-45ac-8bd3-2b7ec2170f0d/STOCKPKG_MM10220_13_000002630007%20copy%202.jpg)
![Look from above at send arena with sever horse riders on it.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/b1230d2b-3de7-4034-9312-d207daca5370/STOCKPKG_MM10220_CJ_Escaramuza_7714_14%20copy.jpg)
![Woman's hands holding religious pins.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/2ddbf970-672c-45d0-a401-1906e93dff9b/STOCKPKG_MM10220_000071510001%20copy.jpg)
![Three young women sitting against round hay bales.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.natgeofe.com/n/42bc5664-1527-40c3-8bc5-c867bd0c261e/STOCKPKG_MM10220_000004720001%20copy%203.jpg)
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