During my first journey from Canada to Brazil and this second one from Barretos to Patagonia, I have had the opportunity to visit thousands of towns and cities. Some I simply rode through, others I spent the night and in a few special cases I got to stay for a week or more. Maringa was the latter!
Mark and I rested the Mares in this spectacular city for 6 days. Life and Doll needed the rest and we took advantage of it.
“You can rest your animals here as long as you need,” said Rafael Tortola, the owner of the ranch where the mares were staying.
In his early 20’s, Rafael works in the family poultry business. GTFoods has farms all over Brazil and in 2014 the company earned 1.4 billion Reais – insane! Not only is Rafael a successful businessman, he is also an amazing team roper.
“I was just in China on business for 10 days and I couldn’t wait to get back to the Ranch to rope,” he said atop one of his heading horses.
I didn’t just catch the team roping action in Maringa, I was also able to run some calves! Growing up I was completely addicted to calf roping. It’s all I wanted to do. Up until University, I roped every single day and rodeoed on the weekends. For two years I qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals and made the Wrangler All-Star team. But unfortunately when I started studying journalism and working, it became hard to find the time to practice.

Lucky me, in Maringa I met some amazing calf ropers who took me in and let me rope a few on their horses. The day after almost having my leg snapped off by Renan’s crazy palomino, I visited Gou’s Ranch. I limped towards the roping arena but once it came time for me to rope, I put the pain aside and let the adrenaline to its job.
“Wow, nice run Filipe, where did you learn to rope like that,” Benedito Goulart, the patriarch of the family asked after I roped one right outside the chute.
“Jason Thomson, one of the best Canadian calf ropers,” I answered feeling proud.
I hadn’t roped in a long time and it felt great to throw that rope again! I was definitely a little rusty getting off my horse and running to the calf, but there were sparks of greatness in a few runs lol

After practice we ate a delicious barbecue and talked roping over cold beers. I can’t thank all of my new friends from Maringa enough for their hospitality. When it came time to leave, I simply didn’t want to. Maybe one day I will return to Maringa to live but for now I must keep trekking south. We can only stop where the land meets the ocean – the end of the world.