Carlos Mencía González, known in the Cuban cowboy community as el Negro Mencía, was laid to rest this Wednesday in Sancti Spíritus with a final horseback ride that commenced from the funeral home to the cemetery, accompanied by horses, mariachis, cowboys, family, and friends.
On Tuesday, according to reported by the newspaper Escambray, he passed away after months of battling an incurable illness, leaving a significant void in the large family of Cuban rodeo.
The farewell lived up to his legend. The page El Más Puro Rodeo Cubano called upon all riders who could attend on horseback to join the procession before 9:30 in the morning.
In the cemetery, his brothers from Vaqueros de Rodeo — described as "the last Mohicans of the '70s generation" — said their final farewells alongside ranchers, horsemen, family, and friends, with the Cuban flag waving over his grave.
"It is a very tough time for Sancti Spíritus. It is a very tough time for the great family of Rodeo Cubano. Today we not only bid farewell to a Vaquero; we bid farewell to a man who left an indelible mark in the hearts of those who shared his passion for horses and the Rodeo," wrote the digital community in his honor.
"Rest in peace, Negro Mencía. May God receive you in His eternal pastures. Your memory will continue to ride forever alongside the horsemen," was the farewell that the Cuban cowboy community dedicated to the champion.
Mencía was for decades the most beloved matador of the Spirito team: the elegantly dressed horseman who performs lassoing and tricks in front of the audience, one of the most eye-catching roles of the show.
His connection with the racetracks began in childhood, when he preferred to follow the cowboys rather than sit in a classroom, and that choice defined the course of his entire life.
"Since I was young, my life has been connected to the tracks," he confessed in an interview with the newspaper Escambray, which reflects on his journey from start to finish.
When she stopped competing as an athlete, being a matron offered her a new way to stay in the spotlight.
"When I stopped being an athlete, I couldn't completely detach myself from the Fair, because my life was always tied to the rodeo or racing tracks. But being a matron attracted me; I enjoyed it a lot, as it is a spectacle that has its own audience," he explained.
His personal trademark was the "manganas," ropes thrown under the arm that the audience demanded from him at every appearance.
"There are those who go to the rodeo to see the lasso artists or the bull riders, but I became known for the manganas; when the audience would leave, they would ask me for them, here and at other arenas in the country," he recalled.
He toured the main fairs of the island: from the International of Rancho Boyeros in Havana to the tracks of Manicaragua, Las Tunas, Bayamo, and Camagüey, always with quarter horses, which he preferred for their gentleness and adaptability to working with cattle.
Beyond the tracks, he was a voluntary blood donor and a supporter for many years of the Children's Home for those without family support in Sancti Spíritus.
The day of Tuesday was doubly painful for the cowboy community of Sancti Spíritus: on that same day, Manuel Jiménez Nazco, known as Manolito, a cultural promoter, broadcaster, and historian of rodeo in Sancti Spíritus, passed away. He came from a family that founded rodeo in the province and was considered one of the best announcers on the island.
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