Las Catalinas was pleased to participate in the 2024 Tempate Tope this year during the local fair, January fourth to January eighth. Horses hold significant cultural value in Costa Rica, and Topes are a celebration that beautifully connects the present with the colonial past. This tradition was born during the colonial era when most of the population resided in the countryside and relied on horses. As stated in the Las Catalinas’ Core Values and Beliefs, “We love Costa Rica and are a positive influence in the country”. It is incredibly special for Las Catalinas to be involved with both traditional Costa Rican culture and events that support our region’s capital, Tempate, a traditional Guanacaste town.
A “tope” is a captivating horse parade, often with beautifully painted ox-drawn carts, horse carriages, and lively marching bands called “cimarronas” before bull riding. The festivities extend to delightful moments of dining, sipping drinks, dancing, and some lighthearted connections with lively music.
Usually, the tope, a vibrant horse parade and equestrian spectacle takes center stage in local festivities called "fiestas" or "fiestas civicas". Spectators gather to witness accomplished riders demonstrate their skills and prized horses, and both onlookers and riders don their best cowboy or “sabanero” attire, complete with leather boots and hats. Several members of the Las Catalinas’ Residential Sales Team, the Collective Impact Team, and other members like the happy horses at Finca La Estancia joined in on the fun and participated in the tope with some great looks, like true sabaneros.
"The Costa Rican Tope filled me with both fear and excitement as more than two hundred horses marched down the dirt roads of Tempate to the beat of the local cimarrona. After an expected three-hour Costa Rican delay of the festivities, the horses eagerly started racing down the road, some bucking while others simply danced. Overall, this experience will be at the top of the books as it pertains to authentic Costa Rican cultural experiences!"
- Katherine Long, Member of Las Catalinas Residential Sales Team
If you did not catch the Tempate Tope, do not miss the chance to experience Guanacaste's cowboy culture at the upcoming Santa Cruz Fiestas and Tope later this month. It is a wonderful way to support small Costa Rican communities and get involved, so stay tuned for topes or fiestas civicas throughout the year in the Las Catalinas' region.