Rodeo lovers from across the country gathered Sunday afternoon at the Denver Coliseum for the National Western Stock Show’s Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza, a perennial favorite, now in its 31st year, hosted by World Champion Charro Gerardo “Jerry” Diaz.

With a commanding mastery of horses and an uncanny ability with a rope, Diaz strives to weave history into traditional music, dress, and pageantry that not only entertain but also preserve the importance of Mexican culture and its rich Charro traditions.

And a little bit of pyro and some lasers don’t hurt, either.

The soft-spoken San Antonio native said he hopes audience members who attended the nearly sold-out performance will connect with the passion of both the riders and the animals in the show.

“I want people to take a sincere feeling with them, the majestic feeling of the show, the color of the show, the flare of it, the soul of the show, the music,” Diaz told The Denver Gazette. “It’s like the opera – the show could be in French, Italian or any other language, but you are still able to take with you the sincerity and the purity of the show.”

For a bashful 7-year-old Daniella Greene, who traveled from Texas with her family, the colorful Jalisco ribbon dresses were “the best.”

“I like the way they look when the ladies spin around,” she said.

Others, like Marco Portillo, called the experience ” a one-of-a-kind, must-see Denver kind of thing.”

As attendees took in the horses, dancers and bullriding, food and beverage sales along the interior of the Coliseum remained brisk as pallets of cotton candy and vendors with cases of cold beverages made their way up and down the facility’s steep stairs.

Chants, claps and the thunderous sound of hoof beats made for a festive atmosphere.

Diaz, a fourth-generation Mexican horseman or Charro, and along with his bride, Staci and 22-year-old son Nicolas, is among the biggest and longest-running producers of Mexican Rodeo Shows in North America.

However, the fifth generation is not far behind, and the elder Diaz said that fills him with pride.

Since last year, Diaz said he has “handed over the reins” to Nicolas.

“It makes me proud,” he said, “He is taking care of a lot of logistics from the beginning of the show to the end of the show, and what makes me feel even more proud is the fact that he doesn’t do anything without my consent.”

The logistics required for each show — organizing the clothes, the animals, the lighting, the camera angles and the pyro— take far more time than the 150-minute bilingual performance.

However, Nicolas, who also performs in the show, said there’s no pressure with his growing responsibilities.

“This is something that I have been raised in,” he said. “I’ve been in a lot of big meetings with my dad, and while sitting there quietly, I was learning.”

Nicolas made his formal debut into the family business more than two decades ago, when he carried him in his arms into a packed arena while riding a horse.

“I can’t carry him no more,” Diaz joked.

A new addition to the show this year is a tribute to Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday when families come together to remember and honor loved ones who have passed away.

“It was Nicholas’s idea to put this piece together, and we picked up music, and he has directed and produced it,” Diaz said. “He’s put all the music together for that, all the painting of the horses, the costumes, all the makeup that’s going to take place, the candles, the dancers and he’s choreographed it.”

Diaz admits he still keeps an eye on things, but remains mostly in the background for now.

But come Monday morning, the Diaz family will begin planning for their 2027 show.

“It’s a full year of thinking, planning, and coming up with fresh ideas,” Nicolas said. “It starts from the day after the show, and that’s what has made it a success – the time and dedication.”