2005 Hall of Fame Inductee
Gerardo 'Jerry' Diaz

2005 Hall of Fame Inductee

Gerardo “Jerry” Diaz - Biography

Gerardo Diaz, known as “Jerry,” is carrying on the Mexican cowboy tradition that originated with his great-grandfather in Spain and was carried on by his grandfather and father Jose “Pepe” Diaz in Mexico. Internationally famous, Jerry is a fourth generation charro from San Antonio, Texas, who has demonstrated his horsemanship and roping skills in every state in the continental U.S. A renowned and popular performer, Diaz has presented exhibitions at venues ranging from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to the Professional Rodeo Circuit to the Economic Summit for world leaders. In his one-man show, Diaz performs in traditional charro attire, combining Mexican mariachi music and his precision roping maneuvers with his horses’ skills in dancing, tricks, dressage, and reining.

The family now lives in New Braunfels, Texas, where they operate Three Mile Creek Ranch, a 50-acre horse operation training horses as dancing horses, trick horses, reining horses, dressage horses, and combinations of skills. His father Jose “Pepe” Diaz, (a charro and master horseman from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) still rides and carries on the charro tradition of hand stitching Jerry’s concho-encrusted saddles, which are as much a part of the show as Jerry’s charro attire. Based on the military outfit worn in the Mexican revolution, the charro outfit includes a 14-inch sombrero and silver-trimmed bolero jacket and tight trousers.

Jerry Diaz performs his specialty act at rodeos around the country and produces his own Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza. The horses exhibit movements such as side pass, Spanish walk, and pirouettes. The finale of his show oftentimes includes a trick using a 65-foot rope around one of the stallions with Jerry taking them into a full gallop around the arena while getting the rope going at the same time. It is a very unique kind of rope called a maguey rope and is probably one of the most difficult ropes to maneuver in the world.

Diaz has earned the Federation of Charros' Golden Spur Award for his outstanding contributions and commitment to the charro tradition. He's also an accomplished singer and recording artist and has recently released a compact disk titled Charro de Corazon (Charro from the Heart). Jerry has been recognized as a super star in this country and has appeared on PBS's National Education Services and many appearances on Telemundo and Univision. He's been written up in the American Quarter Horse Association Journal (AQHA), Time and Newsweek. Diaz has also performed at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo as well as the Belmont Horse Fair in Elmont, NY, the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver, CO, the American Royal Stock Show in Kansas City, MO, and at many other top equine events. A former Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Entertainer of the Year, Jose Diaz has appeared on Good Morning America and in numerous television commercials.

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