Horse’s national day is on the 20th of September: This festival is an initiative of the Equestrian Federation of Argentina. This recognizes the importance of this animal in the country’s history and, at the same time , it is a tribute to its participation in the historical, economic , and sports organization in Argentina . The date recalls the arrival of Aimé Felix Tschiffely with his horses Mancha and Gato to New York.The Swiss rider made an intense journey through the American continent, a journey which lasted from April 1925 until September 1928 and that allowed him to demonstrate the resistance of Criollo horses .Gato and Mancha lived until his death in Estancia El Cardal , along with the remains of the foreign teacher that took them far over the Argentinian horizons , and they are a symbol of devotion and loyalty to a noble cause that made history. Today they are embalmed in the Museum of Luján
DÍA NACIONAL DEL CABALLO, 20 de septiembre
Este festejo es una iniciativa de la Federación Ecuestre Argentina; se reconoce así la importancia de este animal en la historia del país y, a la vez, en homenaje a su participación en la organización histórica, económica, y deportiva de la Argentina. La fecha recuerda la llegada de Aimé Félix Tschiffely con los caballos Gato y Mancha a Nueva York.
Este jinete suizo realizó un intenso itinerario por la geografía americana,en un recorrido que se prolongó desde abril de 1925 hasta septiembre de 1928 y que le permitió demostrar la resistencia de los caballos criollos.
Gato y Mancha, vivieron hasta su muerte en la estancia El Cardal, junto a los restos del andariego profesor extranjero que los llevó por horizontes lejanos a la Argentina, y son un símbolo de la entrega y la fidelidad del caballo a las causas nobles que hicieron historia. Hoy se encuentran embalsamados en el Museo de Luján.
The creole park and the museum “Ricardo Güiraldes” represents the gaucho tradition
There are guided tours to the “Blanqueada”. There is some “gaucho” history to discover, and all our tradition is concentrated in these emblematic spaces. We invite you to visit all these places if you are interested in gaucho culture and also Argentinian history. You can visit these in San Antonio de Areco, a traditional town of the Argentinian pampas. Free of charge!
Rodolfo Ramos is one of the most meticulous observers of our traditional customs. His thoroughness to reflect places and people have transformed him into an important example of regional culture. And for San Antonio de Areco it is a honour to count with his permanent visits to this antique colonial town. This selection of works integrated the exposition “Fijando Rastros”(“Setting Tracks”), organized by Museum “Las Lilas” in Areco.
¡The great tradition gaucho festival of Argentina, very close to Buenos Aires!
If you happen to come to Argentina you cannot miss the Tradition Festival, the oldest gaucho celebration of the Buenos Aires Province. The one which gathers the largest number of gauchos with their impressive clothing, and horses carrying astonishing silver ornaments; horse riding and games with rioplatense tack, and strings of horses spotlessly trained.
A festival without sponsors where the purity and rigor of customs and traditions of the gaucho are kept as in the old days: the elegant criollo dances, musicians with ancestral repertoires, old traditions which have never disappeared, horse riding skills, a red wine, a good barbecue (asado), long lasting guitarreadas, casual chats, the life of town people… An exceptional environment that fills arequeros (local city dwellers) with pride while the city is all decked out for the visit. This is the special moment in which the tourists’ cameras and national and international journalists compete to take the best portrait of this unique cultural event in the Argentine Republic. Don’t miss the next tradition day festival, only in San Antonio de Areco, which is about an hour and a half ride from the city of Buenos Aires. If you`re looking for hotels in Areco, check out this page.
The Don Segundo Sombra book was illustrated in 1929 by the cousin of Ricardo Güiraldes .
He was an amazing artist, and observing his works we see that time in San Antonio de Areco stopped literally…at a bar.
His technique consists on precise and strong, clean lines.
In the Ricardo Güiraldes Gaucho Museum located within the Parque Criollo there are many examples of these Alberto Güiraldes drawings.
All of them representing gaucho situations in the Pampas, most of them real scenes that he was living in his daily life in Estancia La Porteña near San Antonio de Areco
At the entrance of the Museum you can read: If you want to know the work of Güiraldes, the story of Don Segundo Sombra and how rural people think, you’d better go to the museum named after the writer.
The Don Segundo Sombra book even though it may be considered as a continuity with Martín Fierro, more than an extiguished gaucho elegy it proposes new ethical examples to a youth that Ricardo Güiraldes considered disoriented and restless mainly. Structured in a basic way as lessons to be absorbed escaping from inexperience, lessons on work, amusement, morals, camp chores (horse taming, cattle rodeo “jineteada”, raw hide pieces of work done by the gauchos, animal healing, etc.), they become an example of “lo criollo” supported by a very specific and precise words.
