A preview of Escaramuza—Constance Jaeggi’s forthcoming photo book on all-women riding teams, their fashion, identity, and cultural power.
“I think the fashion aspect of it is the easy entry point,” states photographer Constance Jaeggi. No doubt the voluminous, tiered dresses, sashes, boots, and ornate sombreros (a nod to Soldadera/Adelita, the women who fought in the Mexican Revolution)—capture the initial visual seduction, it’s the layered portrait of identity, and feminine power that gives voice to the women in Jaeggi’s captivating release, “Escaramuza”.
The book, scheduled for release in the UK this December and the US in January 2026, features breathtaking photography from Jaeggi, who turned her lens on the all-women precision riding teams. Poetry by Mexican-American writers Angelina Sáenz and Ire’ne Lara Silva sits alongside Jaeggi’s photographs, giving voice to the women whose gazes anchor the book.
Although escaramuza hails from Mexico, Jaeggi travelled to Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Texas, and Washington over a period of two years, researching and spending time with these young women.
“In Mexico, it really is the sport of the wealthy,” she told CNN. However, the teams Jaeggi met in the U.S. worked together to raise the money needed to compete, including affording the incredible, handmade dresses from Mexico, which cost anywhere from $300 – $400 each. “One of the stories I kept hearing was that it took them years, like a couple of generations, to be able to afford to have horses and to be able to do this sport. It made it even more impressive to me, the fact that they dedicate so many of their resources to it.”
In addition to capturing their images, Jaeggi spent hours interviewing the escaramuzas, viewing their practices, and attending competitions, where she learned of the traditionally strict guidelines the teams must follow, as she mentioned in her CNN conversation, including the uniforms. Beading and glitter are acceptable, but accessories like earrings and brooches must be consistent throughout the team. Same for their boots. And under their magnificent dresses, they wear a petticoat layer and bloomers. A single missing layer can disqualify the whole team. And, all of this takes place before the squad goes on to perform a spectacular routine, all while riding side-saddle.
“The women confront the camera and own the spaces that they occupy. These choices are significant, as I’ve photographed the escaramuzas within the landscape that, historically, has been the privileged domain of the white male,” states Jaeggi. “Given this, escaramuza may be said to represent women’s reclamation of that space, of their right to coexist within it, and to refuse to be confined to the domestic sphere. For all its tradition and formality, I believe that escaramuza is a powerful force for the disruption of established gender roles in charrería.”
