Today, Philippa World is going to find out what a cowboy can do in the south of France.
The Camargue, in the south of France, is not so much known for its cows but for its bulls.
So overthere, cowboys are called Gardians. The farms where Gardians raise bulls are called Manades.
The Camargue is the largest river delta in western Europe. Approximately a third of the Camargue is either lakes or marshland. This vast territory still remains wild. The fauna and flora is still preserved with remarkable wild birds, aboundance of mosquitos which make it hard to want to stay there except for some gardians who are breeding horses and bulls.
Since the territory is so vast, Manades usually are very large properties where gardians proceed to an extensive breeding. Indeed, horses and bulls live on a very spacious territories.
Gardians are farmers, breeders and athletes trainers.
Gardians have to maintain the farm where they sometimes produce rice on a part of the property, they also have to breed horses and bulls, and finally they have to select bulls who will be running on "Courses Libres". The Course Libre (free race) is an old tradition where the bull is the center of the attention. Whereas the star is the Matador in bullfights, the star in the "Course Libre" is the bull. Usually this bull is a Camarguais bull, typically small and light (Camarguais bulls usually weight more or less 600 pounds). Nowadays, Camarguais bulls are not or rarely chosen for bullfightings. Bullfightings require heavy impressive bulls (with a weight of more or less 1200 pounds). Mostly Spanish bulls meet the requirements of bullfighting rules.
Raised in large Manades, Camarguais bulls live very freely and somwhat keep their natural instincts. Therefore they are a challenge for these young men who will be running after them during a "Course Libre" in order to catch the little red ribbon called "Cocarde"placed between the horns of the bull by the Gardians before the Course Libre starts. If these young men called Raseteurs manage to get the little red ribbon, they can make some money. Catch one of these red ribbons and you can cash it for a few hundreds euros.
Now don't try to get this little red ribbon if you have never done that before. These bulls are pretty fast and furious...even if they are not that heavy, they still have character.
So you know, Raseteurs usually begin to train in their early teens against young bulls before graduating to regular contests. They don't take the ribbon with their bare hands but with a claw-shaped metal instrument called a raset (hook) in their hands. But don't worry, there is no blood. At least, the bull is never harmed. Raseteurs on the contrary take risks. This entire game is just to show how couragous you can be with a charging bull.
So overthere, cowboys are called Gardians. The farms where Gardians raise bulls are called Manades.
The Camargue is the largest river delta in western Europe. Approximately a third of the Camargue is either lakes or marshland. This vast territory still remains wild. The fauna and flora is still preserved with remarkable wild birds, aboundance of mosquitos which make it hard to want to stay there except for some gardians who are breeding horses and bulls.
Since the territory is so vast, Manades usually are very large properties where gardians proceed to an extensive breeding. Indeed, horses and bulls live on a very spacious territories.
Gardians are farmers, breeders and athletes trainers.
Gardians have to maintain the farm where they sometimes produce rice on a part of the property, they also have to breed horses and bulls, and finally they have to select bulls who will be running on "Courses Libres". The Course Libre (free race) is an old tradition where the bull is the center of the attention. Whereas the star is the Matador in bullfights, the star in the "Course Libre" is the bull. Usually this bull is a Camarguais bull, typically small and light (Camarguais bulls usually weight more or less 600 pounds). Nowadays, Camarguais bulls are not or rarely chosen for bullfightings. Bullfightings require heavy impressive bulls (with a weight of more or less 1200 pounds). Mostly Spanish bulls meet the requirements of bullfighting rules.
Raised in large Manades, Camarguais bulls live very freely and somwhat keep their natural instincts. Therefore they are a challenge for these young men who will be running after them during a "Course Libre" in order to catch the little red ribbon called "Cocarde"placed between the horns of the bull by the Gardians before the Course Libre starts. If these young men called Raseteurs manage to get the little red ribbon, they can make some money. Catch one of these red ribbons and you can cash it for a few hundreds euros.
Now don't try to get this little red ribbon if you have never done that before. These bulls are pretty fast and furious...even if they are not that heavy, they still have character.
So you know, Raseteurs usually begin to train in their early teens against young bulls before graduating to regular contests. They don't take the ribbon with their bare hands but with a claw-shaped metal instrument called a raset (hook) in their hands. But don't worry, there is no blood. At least, the bull is never harmed. Raseteurs on the contrary take risks. This entire game is just to show how couragous you can be with a charging bull.
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