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For a general (and
slightly random)
selection of social pictures please click here
For previous diary entries
please use the links at the bottom of this page
Day 6: Tuesday 3rd August
Corral de Piedras (Salto) - Roy
Anderson |
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Another day was spent at the Corral de
Piedras watching with awe the skills of the Gauchos and
trying to emulate them ourselves. The Gauchos were showing
us how they "break" wild horses and they made it look very
easy! So three members of the tour - who were used to breaking
in slightly different wild animals - volunteered to have
a go. First up was that most experienced of wild animal
breakers, Mr Clayton and he was soon followed by Alastair
Monty and Ed Atkin. After the taming of the horses the
group split in half, with one half going back to the ranch
while the others went on a longer trek with the horses.
Our "best Gaucho" award holder (presented the previous
evening) Alex Lavarello was keen to show the skills which
made him the best and chose the biggest horse and was intent
on breaking it.
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Breaking wild horses requires courage...
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However, the reason why that horse was
the biggest was because the poor animal was pregnant, so
with a baby inside and Alex on top she struggled back to
the ranch very broken. Meanwhile Ed Kilbee was practising
for the Grand National. For lunch we met up with our fluffy
friends from yesterday who were looked slightly more tanned
than they had the day before. After all three sheep had
been devoured everyone went for a siesta. With the tour
party having just eaten three sheep, the beaks decided
that this would be a good time to do a bit of fitness work!!!
This passed quickly and painfully and it was time to say
goodbye to our hosts on the ranch.
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... so Al Monty has a go
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| Luckily we had a abit of R & R planned at
a local swimming park. We arrived there after 6pm and they
kept it specially open for us so we had all the different
pools to ourselves. On arrival most were torn between ogling
the lifeguards and playing on the huge waterslides. Luckily
the lifeguards followed us wherever we went so we had the
best of both worlds. Also in the complex were a wave pool,
jacuzzi, a 38.7 degree relaxation pool and massaging showers.
Unfortunately we had to leave for an "all you can eat" steak
house (it´s a hard life being on tour). After eating a couple
more cows we all struggled to get back on the coach for our
overnight trip to Buenos Aires where we would catch a plane
to Salta in the morning. |
Teddy's friend from yesterday (see below)
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Day 5: Monday 2nd August
Corral de Piedras (Salto) - John
Hawkins
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An unwelcome phone call at 7.30am woke
us for our earliest start yet. Two hours after a speedy
breakfast we were standing face to face with 20 "tame" horses
at the Corral de Piedras. Paddy Robinson and The Doc were
the first to demonstrate their Gaucho skills when their
steeds decided to show us just how uncooperative they could
be. Following a hair-raising ride, we witnessed the real
Gauchos at work lassoing calves mixed in with some branding
and stomach turning castrations! This left us slightly
queasy as we headed back to the ranch for a delicious lunch
of barbequed steak fresh off the farm.
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Teddy getting to grips with a new friend
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Following our meal the Gauchos offered
to let us witness the slaughter of three sheep which we
had seen being sheared in the morning. This turned out
not to be everyone´s cup of tea although they did turn
out to be everyone´s lunch the next day! The most disturbing
part was watching the meat being cut off the carcas. Next
we rode down to one of the corrals where we tried our luck
at lassoing calves ourselves. It was Roy Anderson who eventually
caught one but he had only secured one of its legs and
the calf ran off at high speed wrenching the rope from
his hands. Alex Lavarello then decided to try and ride
one of the lassoed calves, however having tried to get
up once the calf couldn´t take the strain and gave up,
leaving a triumphant Alex straddling the gasping creature!
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Ed Atkin finds the horses suitably sized
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| On returning to the ranch we were were greated
by a display of traditional Uruguayan dancing and were encouraged
by the dancers to join in. A few of the team were more enthusiastic
than others (particularly Charlie Mercer) leaving smiles
on the faces of all the farm workers! Another huge meal with
our hosts left us very content after an extremely exciting
day and we returned wearily to the hotel with many new experiences
under our belts. |
Alex Lavarello and Henry Langdon... |
Day 4:
Sunday 1st August
Montevideo - Alastair Monty
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Having personally woken up
at twenty to one I missed most of the day, but those who
woke early enough went to see the British Schools' U16
XV gain a 28 - 3 victory to secure their position as National
Champions.
After a breakfast of delicious Uruguayan
steak and mashed potato, so liberally dished out by our
hosts, bags were packed and we left our billets' houses
and headed to the club for training before our first match
- for report and photographs click here.
Three halves of rugby later and it was time
for final goodbyes to billets, showering and then supper. |
The main event of the day...
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In a presentation of gifts
and exchange of thank-yous we bade our generous hosts farewell
and got onto the coach which would take us seven hours
into the night and up to Salto.
Aside from a little brain-eating (and
fried colon - Ed.) at a roadside restaurant with
a dodgy lock on the toilet door which trapped several
hapless team members inside (aka Lavarello), the journey
was smooth and we arrived at our hotel on time (2.15am
! - Ed.). |
...click on the photographs for report |
Days 1 -
3
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