This year’s highlights include renowned ‘charro’

The Rodeo de Santa Fe almost always brings a little twist to its event, which begins Wednesday at the Santa Fe Rodeo Grounds.

For its 69th iteration, organizers invited world-reknowned charro (Mexican cowboy) Tomás Garcilazo to entertain spectators this week. A native of Mexico City and a third-generation charro, Garcilazo will bring his highly developed horsemanship and roping skills to the grounds.

The Rodeo de Santa Fe website touts Garcilazo’s proficiency as a skilled horseman and roping artist that defines him as one of the finest charros presenting La Charrería, a skill performed only by a Mexico charro. Garcilazo, who has been dubbed “the Elvis of Mexico,” has performed throughout Europe, as well as North America. He also toured in the U.S. with the Will Roger’s Follies, and was the featured performer for Disney’s Wild West Show in Paris and the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show in Holland and Germany.

The rodeo wasn’t just willing to settle for just one reference to Elvis Presley. Barrel man Hollywood Yates, who began his career as an Elvis impersonator at the age of 7, will also make an appearance.

Yates was a performer on NBC’s

rebooted version of American Gladiators and wrestled in WWE. He has competed on the professional rodeo circuit for 23 years as a bullfighter and rodeo clown.

The featured attraction, though, is the rodeo itself. The Rodeo de Santa Fe occurs during the most crucial stretch of the rodeo season, which is commonly known a “Cowboy Christmas” as a slew of rodeos around the country kick off for the summer. The rodeo’s website said last year’s rodeo drew almost 500 contestants over its four-day run.

Last year, organizers held an Kids Exceptional Rodeo that was open to children in the special-needs community between the ages of 4 and 12, and this year’s event will take place Saturday morning on the final day of the rodeo.

The event allows participants to experience what it’s like to rope a calf, race around barrels and poles on a horse, or ride a bucking bull or bronco.