Escaramuza is a Mexican tradition of all-female, precision horse-riding teams that perform intricate manoeuvres sidesaddle at high speed while dressed in traditional attire. Escaramuza is widespread in Mexico and is now gaining prominence in the United States.

Photographing teams throughout the United States, O’Connor interviewed riders to understand their experiences within charrería, the predominantly male national sport of Mexico, and their lives as immigrants or multi-generational Americans. These conversations prompted Mexican American poets Ire’ne Lara Silva and Angelina Sáenz to write thirty poems that contextualise and amplify the riders’ stories.

Charrería evolved from Mexican cattle ranching into an expression of lo mexicano, or Mexican national identity. Escaramuza riders must navigate deep-rooted machismo in the sport, a challenge O’Connor addresses by portraying their grace and dignity while examining its gendered complexities.

Photographed in formal, handcrafted escaramuza dresses, the riders embody rigidity, discipline and precision alongside celebration and individuality. Their garments symbolise both the social and cultural dimensions of the tradition and the tensions within their narratives. Through Escaramuza the women discover profound personal expression and a shared sense of pride and belonging in a heritage they uphold with remarkable skill.

Artist Bio:

Constance Jaeggi O’Connor began her photographic journey in 2013 after earning a bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Originally from Switzerland, she moved to the United States to pursue competitive western-style horseback riding and further her education. The shift from suburban Switzerland to Texas ranching life set her on an unexpected path, firmly grounded in a connection with horses.

Fascinated by the paradoxical human–horse relationship, O’Connor investigates its duality, balancing partnership with domination, and explores themes of intimacy, identity, power dynamics and home. After graduation she picked up a camera and naturally turned her lens toward horses, documenting their profound influence on human civilisation and on her own life.