In 1969, a group of Pueblo citizens decided to start a Charro Association on a local level. Some of the founders of the association lived in Mexico and knew of the increasing popularity of the sport. The founders wanted more than just a formal organization that would get together and practice the sport of the charreria, so they formed the Pueblo Charro Association as a non-profit organization with four goals set forth in the by-laws.
The first goal is to re-introduce the sport of our beloved Mexico to the United States. All members had children who loved to ride horses. They saw an opportunity to provide their children with an outlet to practice their horsemanship and, at the same time, learn the sport.
The second goal is to instill in the young a true spirit of sportsmanship, a respect for their country, and a pride in their ancestry. Because the members are required to wear the attire of the Charro and learn how the Charro emerged, the children learn about their heritage and how their ancestors contributed to the development of the Southwest. In addition, there can be no question that charreria offers the young child a very healthy atmosphere of competition. In the beginning, the Association had young performers who began competition as early as six and seven years of age. Children are the Charros and Charras of the future.
The third goal is to aid youths in furthering their education by providing financial assistance in various forms to needy students. Since its origin, this was one of the main goals of the Pueblo Charro Association. During the initial stages of the association, the members were few, and the expenses of setting up a "lienzo" were costly so that not very much was left over for scholarships. Later, however, 10% of any funds coming into the Association were set aside for this purpose and the fund increased. It was expected that during the coming school year the Pueblo Charro Association would sponsor a student to attend Southern Colorado State College here in Pueblo.
The last major goal is rather general in nature--we hope to generally . improve the quality of life for all people of Mexican ancestry.
With this base, we hope that by working with our children -and placing an emphasis on their lives as Americans, practicing a rich cultural sport, we can instill a pride in them that will carry them through their entire lives. The Association hopes that by providing scholarships and financial assistance to students, it will have done a small part to help to aid in in the possibility that one becomes a doctor, a lawyer, etc.
Most important, we hope to be able to influence our youth in becoming better citizens of our country. People are better prepared to live in today's complicated society by giving them an idea of who they are, where they came from, and how to fit into the history and future of this great country.