Tomás Garcilazo will return to the West of the Pecos Rodeo, showcasing his Mexican heritage as a charro. His act now incorperates his family, including wife Justine and oldest son Louis.
(PHOTO BY ROBBY FREEMAN)

 

A celebrated horseman, Garcilazo and family will be in Pecos

PECOS, Texas – For years, Tomás Garcilazo has been in the spotlight, shining brightly while exhibiting his charro skills before throngs of fans.

These days, though, he’s sharing his fame and is happy to do it. It’s become the Garcilazo family show, including his wife, Justin, and their son, Louis. Tomás Garcilazo is the third generation of his family to be a Mexican horseman and a person of other talents that have been passed down from one family to another via La Cherreria, a skill performed only by the Mexican charro.

The family will be sharing its heritage during the four performances of the West of the Pecos Rodeo, set for 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 24-Saturday, June 27, at Buck Jackson Arena.

“It’s amazing the way the crowd accepts us and embraces us,” Garcilazo said. “To have that reception is incredible. That’s what encourages us to do better, and we’re looking forward to being one of the stars on that stage.”

The Garcilazos have two younger boys, Gaspar and Ulysse. Louis, though, has taken to the pageantry and is comfortable performing alongside his parents on the grandest stages of rodeo. Dressed in true Mexican regalia, they provide a bit of a lesson on the charro’s place in history and the beauty of a horse. The Garcilazos take great pride in their equine counterparts, which have their own talents and levels of showmanship.

“I can watch Tomás all day long and not get tired of it,” said Garrett Yerigan, the West of the Pecos announcer. “He’s such a craftsman. His talent is unlike any other, and we get to watch Louis in his career blossoming and flourishing. It’s amazing to see how it’s been passed down to Louis.”

He is now the fourth generation to pursue the family business. Born in 2014, Louis has created his own showmanship style, and it just adds to the flavor of the routines. The skills have been used for centuries.

“My background is competition,” Tomás Garcilazo said. “A charro is a horseman, a Mexican horseman that has a skill with a rope and, of course, with the horses, and I passed it on to my son. It is my goal, and it’s a treasure because it is my heritage, and we want to preserve those roots and culture. We don’t want to let it die.

“Part of my pride is that he has to have his background as a competitor. He has already competed in the all-around charro style, which is comprised by seven events, and he’s doing really good. That foundation is important for me, because I don’t want him to just be a performer on the stage. I want him to be a competitor. I want him to break his own colts, to build them, to make them, to have the communication with them so he can understand how important the tradition is.”

Whether it’s competition or the pageantry, the Garcilazos are proud of their heritage and showcasing it for rodeo fans. Without vaqueros, there would be no cowboys, so the family’s exploits are just an extension of what made modern-day rodeo.

Garcilazo has been named the PRCA Dress Act of the Year four times and has been selected to perform the opening act at the National Finals Rodeo. More recently, he has been joined by Justine and Louis.

“Something that’s really important to us is that from head to toes, we have the Western-style and charro-style, which are very beautiful and unique,” Tomás Garcilazo said. “My wife is going to carry the American flag, and we feel so proud to do that because it’s the best flag in the world.”