Cuban cattle country keeps up rodeo traditions

In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they tackle a bicycle.

At the tender age of 6, Dariadna Corujo is already an expert barrel racer and calf roper, wearing pink boots as she competes in rodeos on the hot, flat grasslands of central Sancti Spiritus province.

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In this July 29, 2016 photo, cowgirl Dariadna Corujo winds up to lasso a calf during an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. At the tender age of 6, Dariadna is already an expert barrel racer and calf roper. In the flat grasslands of Sancti Spiritus, a group of neighboring cattle ranchers founded a non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba’s rodeo culture, which dates back centuries to Spanish colonial times. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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A group of neighboring cattle ranchers founded a non-governmental group called Future Ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba's rodeo culture, which dates back centuries to Spanish colonial times. The group teaches rodeo skills like roping and riding along with more practical education in ranching, veterinary medicine and farming.

The best students can start farm- and ranch-related studies at local universities without passing the difficult national entrance exam. A founder of the group proudly notes the students often know so much that they give informal classes to other students.

In Sancti Spiritus' cattle country, 80 children are enrolled in the association, which struggles to find the funds for basic needs like gasoline for the vehicles taking the students to competitions. Many families save for years in order to buy their children saddles, boots and lassos.

"At $12 a lasso, do you know how many liters of milk I have to sell?" said Dariadna's father, Donato Corujo.

The children of Future Ranchers have become the main attraction at many Sancti Spiritus rodeos, and a standard at religious processions and Cuba's May Day parades.

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In this July 29, 2016 photo, a young cowboy looks out from a bus window as he waits to be transported via bus to an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In Sancti Spiritus’ cattle country, 80 children are enrolled in the non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers association, which struggles to find the funds for basic needs like gasoline for the vehicles taking the students to competitions. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, 5-year-old cowboy David Obregon works to lasso a goat for milking at his parents farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. A group of neighboring cattle ranchers founded a non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba’s rodeo culture, which dates back centuries to Spanish colonial times. The group teaches rodeo skills like roping and riding along with more practical education in ranching, veterinary medicine and farming. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, a cowboy playfully threatens to dunk a younger boy into a water troff, during an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the flat grasslands in the central province of Sancti Spiritus, a group of neighboring cattle ranchers founded a non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba’s rodeo culture, which dates back centuries to Spanish colonial times. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, cowboys team up to help 5-year-old cowboy David Obregon learn to ride a calf during an improvised rodeo game at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle. In Sancti Spiritus’ cattle country, 80 children are enrolled in a non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers, founded by a group of neighboring cattle ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba’s rodeo culture. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, a cowboy throws a calf to the ground to wrap its legs, during an improvised rodeo game at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle as well as skills like roping and riding along with more practical education. Those who grow up to be the best start farm- and ranch-related studies at local universities without passing the difficult national entrance exam. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, 5-year-old cowboy David Obregon runs across the yard of his parents farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle. Those who grow up to be the best start farm- and ranch-related studies at local universities without passing the difficult national entrance exam. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, 2-year-old cowboy Wrangler Ponce pulls two horses at his parents farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle. In Sancti Spiritus’ cattle country, 80 children are enrolled in a non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers, founded by a group of neighboring cattle ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba’s rodeo culture. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, cowgirl Dariadna Corujo rides her horse near a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. At the tender age of 6, Dariadna is already an expert barrel racer and calf roper, wearing pink boots as she competes in rodeos on the flat grasslands of central Sancti Spiritus province. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, young cowboys milk a goat at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. A group of neighboring cattle ranchers founded a non-governmental organization called Future Ranchers more than a decade ago to revive Cuba’s rodeo culture, which dates back centuries to Spanish colonial times. The group teaches rodeo skills like roping and riding along with more practical education in ranching, veterinary medicine and farming. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, 5-year-old cowboy David Obregon holds down a calf during an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle as well as skills like roping and riding along with more practical education. Those who grow up to be the best start farm- and ranch-related studies at local universities without passing the difficult national entrance exam. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, children of the Future Ranchers organization sit on horses as they wait for the release of a calf during an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. The children enrolled in the non-governmental organization have become the main attraction at many Sancti Spiritus rodeos, and a standard at religious processions and Cuba’s May Day parades. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, 2-year-old cowboy Wrangler Ponce pours water into a wheelbarrow serving as a water troff for the horses at his parents farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle as well as skills like roping and riding along with more practical education. Those who grow up to be the best start farm- and ranch-related studies at local universities without passing the difficult national entrance exam. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, cowboys watch an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they learn to ride a bicycle. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this July 29, 2016 photo, cowgirl Dariadna Corujo sits on her horse while herding cattle near a farm in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba. At the tender age of 6, Dariadna is already an expert barrel racer and calf roper, wearing pink boots as she competes in rodeos on the flat grasslands of central Sancti Spiritus province. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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