National Senior Charro Championship 2026 Comes to Tlaxcala

National senior charro championship 2026: dates and venue

The national senior charro championship 2026, the Campeonato Nacional de Charros Mayores, will be held at the Lienzo Charro on Tlaxcala's fairgrounds in late November, starting Nov. 21 or 22 and ending Nov. 29 depending on the source. La Polilla, SDP Noticias and e-tlaxcala reported Nov. 21-29; the Mexican Charrería Federation (FMCH) said in an August bulletin that activities would start Nov. 22.

It's the 33rd edition (XXXIII), according to the FMCH's official call. That call originally set it for Sept. 19-27 at the Adolfo López Mateos lienzo in the city of Tlaxcala.

The move had a concrete reason. During an inspection visit, the federation found the venue's infrastructure wasn't yet in the condition an event this size requires, so the championship was pushed to November.

Because the start date differs by a day, confirm the final program with the FMCH or Tlaxcala's state charro union before you travel.

The gala for the Tlaxcala lienzo's 63rd anniversary

The news came on a party night. The Lienzo Charro at the fairgrounds marked its 63rd anniversary with a gala charreada during Tlaxcala's Feria de Ferias 2026, covered by local press on Nov. 7 and 8.

Three big names rode:

• Asociación Nacional de Charros of Mexico City, described as the country's oldest charro association, founded 105 years ago.
• Rancho El Pitayo of Querétaro, billed by local press as national champion in the AA category.
• Rancho El Sueño, the current Tlaxcala state champion.

The emotional high point was a reunion: the Escaramuza Monumental Infantil and the Regionales de Tlaxcala shared the arena again after four decades. It was a fitting warm-up for a championship that honors people who have spent their lives on horseback.

Want more charrería before the nationals? The fair tournament is still running; see our Tlaxcala charro tournament 2026 guide.

What the senior (Mayores) division is

FMCH rules recognize three competition categories: Juvenil, Libre (open) and Mayores. The Mayores division lets veteran charros keep competing at the official level, with a few adjustments for age.

The age rule

Under the senior-division amendments to the FMCH's 2024-2028 official rulebook, a charro mayor is anyone at least 50 years old on the day of competition. Age is proven with official ID, such as Mexico's INE voter card or a passport.

If an older article gives a different age, keep in mind that the current amendments, dated March 2025, replace all previous ones.

Escaramuzas follow their own rule. Under the FMCH's 2024-2028 rulebook for escaramuzas and damas charras, the Charras Mayores category starts at 45, and that category competes only at the National Senior Charro Championship. The bonus table below is the charros' table.

Age bonus points

The division's signature twist is that experience earns points. Each senior charro gets bonus points on every attempt, as long as the event is completed:

Everything else is judged under the Libre rulebook. For that baseline, read how charrería is scored.

How charrería keeps veteran riders competing

The senior division isn't a watered-down charreada. Senior charros present the same events; what changes are a few rules that respect age without cheapening the work.

• Help with the riding events. Bull riding, mare riding and the paso de la muerte (the leap from one horse to a loose mare) can be performed by federated charros from any category. Each may ride for only one team per event, and those events must still be presented.
• Herders from any category. The arreo crew that moves the stock can include open, youth or senior charros.
• A fall doesn't erase the run. If a senior charro falls during a riding event or the paso de la muerte, it still counts with a 4-point penalty instead of scoring zero as in other categories.
• No penalty for steadying. The usual infraction for bracing or holding on doesn't apply to events performed by senior charros.
• Cala de caballo. Someone else may present the bit to the judges.

The result is horsemanship at its most refined: measured loops, finished horses and a sharp read of the cattle. It's also where parents, children and grandchildren share a team and a grandstand.

How it differs from the main Nacional in San Luis Potosí

The main LXXXII Congreso y Campeonato Nacional Charro ended Nov. 1 at Arena Potosí, with RG2 winning the top AAA title. It's the biggest event on the calendar: the FMCH planned for about 171 teams and 160 escaramuzas. Full recap: Charrería National Championship 2026.

The senior nationals are different:

• Smaller. 40+ teams registered as of August.
• Its own individual title. Charro mayor en cinco faenas covers cala de caballo, piales, colas (steer tailing), manganas a pie and manganas a caballo. It's the senior counterpart of charro completo, which in the Libre category adds bull riding and the paso de la muerte.
• Age bonuses. A rule that doesn't exist in the open category.
• A reunion feel. In its report on the 2019 senior nationals in Mazatlán, the FMCH itself described the event as more of a get-together than a competition, with an open coleadero and a party night.

What spectators will see

A team charreada has nine events, with the terna counting as two, for ten in total. If you've never been, here's the short version:

• Cala de caballo. The rider shows off the horse's training with runs, sliding stops and spins.
• Piales and manganas. Roping events judged on precision and clean technique; for seniors, a mangana a caballo finished with a single turn of the loop (no extra floreo) scores 20 points.
• Coleadero. Horseback work with cattle along the long chute of the lienzo.
• Terna en el ruedo. A three-rider roping team in the round arena.
• Riding events and paso de la muerte. The highest-risk events, where teams can call on riders from other categories.
• Damas de a caballo. The FMCH bulletin notes women riders in the Mayor division.

Tips for attending

1. Confirm dates and times. With Nov. 21 or 22 in play, check the FMCH and fair channels the week before.
2. Don't assume a price. No admission prices have been published for the senior nationals yet.
3. Arrive early. Team charreadas run long, and good seats can go fast on the closing weekend.
4. Dress warm. Tlaxcala sits above 2,000 meters, and late-November nights are cold.
5. Respect the horses. No flash near the arena, don't lean on the gates, and keep kids behind the wall. Brush up on the basics in our safety section.
6. Bring cash. Food and souvenirs at lienzos are often cash only.

What to watch next

• The official start date (Nov. 21 or 22) and the day-by-day program.
• The team draw and order of the qualifying charreadas.
• The field for charro mayor en cinco faenas, the division's individual title.
• The closing day, Nov. 29, the end date reported by local press (the FMCH bulletin gave only the start date).

We'll update this story once the FMCH publishes official results. Meanwhile, explore more horse sports in disciplines.