Women rodeo bull riders buck tradition in macho Nicaragua
- Bull riding, once reserved for just men in Nicaragua, is undergoing a major change as women riders are now taking part in rodeos
- The move is part of a cultural shift as women in the country are now taking part in all sorts of activities previously reserved for men
When Eveling Perez was a teenager, she became fascinated by bull riding but her brother told her it was only for men in Nicaragua, where machismo was and still is the norm.
She ignored him. Now the 33-year-old cook takes part in rodeo shows, riding a bucking bull.
Perez earns US$200 every time she mounts one, her right hand gripping the animal’s harness while her left arm is stretched out for balance.
Hundreds of spectators at a festival in Tipitapa, around 30km (20 miles) from the capital Managua, cheer and applaud as her body shudders with the violent bucking of a beast that weighs hundreds of kilograms and is desperate to shake her off.
The goal is to stay on the bull for at least eight seconds.
That is no tall order for the 1.60m (5ft3) Perez, who trains regularly, including daily 2km runs to stay in form.
But the nature of the sport means she suffers frequent injuries, even bone fractures.
I would like that not just myself and my teammate, but that many more women take part to represent the feminine sex