Charreada a lane wide by long leading into a circle in diameter. In the opening ceremony, organizations and participants parade into the arena on horseback, usually accompanied by a mariachi band playing "Marcha Zacatecas". This signifies the long tradition of Charros being an auxiliary arm of the Mexican Army. The short charro jacket is remniscent of that worn by members of Villa's Army. The "charreada" itself consists of nine scoring events staged in a particular order for men. Unlike rodeos, most "charreadas" do not award money to the winners as charreadas are considered an amateur, rather than professional sport. Prizes may
Charreada to the whole community. Supporters point out that events sanctioned by the Federación Mexicana de Charrería (FMCH) are held in both the United States and Mexico, and they operate under rules promulgated by the Federation. They also point to successful and highly public events such the Fiesta San Antonio, where Charreada has been an integral part of the festival for more than 60 years. There are few hard statistics on either side of the issue. Many charreadas are loosely organized in the USA and obtaining data is a challenge. Informal reports by organizations on both sides of the issue exist.