I rode out of Maringa with heavy rain hitting my dark-blue poncho and it continued to follow me south. I don’t mind riding in the rain, especially when wearing a rain poncho which overs my entire body and saddle, but when the rain is torrential, it’s miserable.

In a few minutes water begins creep down my neck and follow my spine all the way to my jeans. A cold shiver shoots up leaving me frozen. A real danger in these low winter temperatures. When the rain is heavy, I’m not the only one who drops my head. The mares also hate it, and try to keep their eyes to the ground. But when the rain is light, it’s perfect for them as it keeps them cool all day. 

By the time we arrived in the town of Mambore, 3 days after leaving Maringa, my beard was perma-soaked along with my soul. But the warm reception from the Tiburcio family changed my gloom mood. Marcio Tiburcio a horse vet hosted the mares, Mark and I on his family ranch for 2 days.

“Whatever you need don’t hesitate to ask,” Marcio said before I could even dismount.

Along with his wife and beautiful little boy, his brother, sister and friends, we spent the first night getting to know one another over a delicious lamb he butchered that morning.

“We raise these animals just for nights like this,” Marcio said.

The next morning my face hurt from laughing so much. Marcio took me around to see his horses, lambs, his long roping arena and cattle. In the southern part of Brazil, instead of roping like the American Cowboys, people follow the Gaucho culture. So instead of using a small nylon rope, they use a very long leather one. 

“Your loop must be 18-20 metres long,” Marcio explained to me as he played with his leather rope.

Although his son is only 3-years-old, Marcio already has him roping the dummy on horseback. The little boy can ride and rope better than most adults.

“I love this country life and I hope my son will carry on our tradition,” Marcio said after showing me a video of the young boy roping.