2012 VCHCC Matanza Program

Saturday, February 25, 2012News-BulletinVALENCIA

COUNTY

2 • 2012 Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza • Valencia County News-Bulletin • February 18, 2012

Matanza may be late, but will be better than everBy UngelBah Daniel-DavilaNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

BelenIt’s kind of like an all-you-can-eat-buffet, only better,

yummier and more exciting and cost effective. On Saturday, Feb. 25, the Valencia County Hispano

Chamber of Commerce will hold its 12th annual matanza from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Posse grounds in Belen, where matanza teams will compete to see who is the best in each category.

Starting at sunrise, teams will begin preparing their meat for entry in five different categories: liver, carne adovada, specialty items, chicharones and the iron pig, a competition in which teams receive a box of “mystery meat” that they have to turn into a delicious dish within a certain amount of time.

For the matanza, the hogs are slaughtered off site, but immediately hauled to the Sheriff’s Posse where they are skinned and gutted in the traditional manner before being cooked up for judging and the public’s enjoyment.

It’s a good idea to avoid eating prior to going to the matanza, as there will be so much irresistible food there, ready to be scarfed up.

The mouth-watering scent of so many toothsome delights will have your belly growling and your mouth drooling like Pavlov’s dog before you can hand your money to the ticket man.

“It’s a competition amongst the teams, so it’s set up where you can go and sample from the different teams, the different items that’ll be coming out,” said Yvonne Sanchez, the president of the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Entry into the event is $10 and free for children age 10 and under, which allows for a day of decadent feasting at each team’s station, admittance to the food competi-tions plus a tortilla, biscochito and red chile contest.

There will also be a plethora of vendors, a Kiddie Corral and live music by Las Garrapatas, Tradicional, Los Alegres de Belen, and additional performances by Romano Enrique, Mayala Alejandra, Sandra Montoya and Rafael Trujillo.

The event is a wholesome affair, says Sanchez. It’s tailored to families and gives the community a reason to get together for a meaningful cause.

Every year, the chamber puts the money raised at the matanza toward scholarships that will help a local students pay for their continuing education, which sometimes, Sanchez says, is the only financial aid that student will recieve.

However, the matanza is set up to be affordable and

inviting for the whole family, Sanchez said. “Our Kiddie Corral is always a big thing, especially

for people that are coming from Albuquerque or differ-ent parts of the state. It is a family event,” said Sanchez. “So for a family of four ― two adults and the kids under 10 ― 20 dollars to get in, you can eat all day, you only have to pay for your beverages, and then there’s a Kiddie Corral for the kids with kind of old-fashioned kids games.”

The Kiddie Corral, which will be staffed by School of Dreams Academy students, will offer games such as tug-of-war and gunny sack races, two jumpers and face painting, along with the Valencia County fair queen assisting with pony rides for children. Pictures will be taken of the children who ride the ponies.

“When you go to the matanza, everybody is just so warm and welcoming. It’s just like going to somebody’s family matanza,” Sanchez said. “It’s welcoming, every-

body is just really caring and they have a lot of pride in what they do. They want to take care of you.”

This year, there will be more vendors than usual, increasing from around 30 to about 75.

“I think just due to all the publicity with the issues we went through with the USDA, we’re having a lot more vendors, so the vendor alley will be completely filled up this year,” she said.

As indicated by the event flyer, “Our tradition will die when pigs fly,” this year’s matanza, which is the biggest of its kind, almost didn’t come to fruition due to safety concerns by the USDA.

But after a teleconference with Al Almanza, the administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service, the chamber was given to go-ahead to put on the event this year.

“With everything we’ve been through this year with having to cancel the event, then putting it back on, I think the support that we’ve gotten has just been tre-mendous within the community, but even just statewide, people calling who have never been to the event who support what we’re doing and the tradition of the matan-za,” said Sanchez.

On Feb. 14, the New Mexico House of Representatives adopted House Memorial 58, introduced by State Reps. Alonzo Baldonado, David Chavez and Don Tripp, cel-ebrating the “deep cultural importance of the matanza,” passed unanimously.

“We really want to thank the community for stand-ing behind us,” says Sanchez. “That support has really helped us get through this.”

The VCHCC will have a booth at the event where attendees will be able to sign letters of support to pre-serve the matanza tradition, and to hopefully get perma-nent legislation or an exemption for matanzas.

“I grew up with matanzas, so that’s a vital part of our heritage; and for us to lose that, I think that’s why we’re so adamant about fighting for it,” Sanchez said.

The Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce expects this to be a “banner year” for attendance at the matanza thanks to the extra publicity caused by the near cancellation.

Because of the expected turn out, Sanchez encourages people attending the event to take advantage of the park-and-ride options that will be available.

Free shuttles to and from the Sheriff’s Posse will be running from three different parking locations, one southwest of Taco Bell, at the Rail Runner station in Belen and at Calvary Chapel Rio Grande Valley.

Abigail R. Ortiz-News-Bulletin photo

VALENCIA COUNTY HISPANO Chamber of Commerce Board President Yvonne Sanchez displays a first-place matanza award for carne adovada from 2005.

February 18, 2012 • Valencia County News-Bulletin • 2012 Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza • 3

Home DepotKiddieCorralAlleyVendor

AlleyVendor

TEAM LIST1 Tillery Pontiac, Buick, GMC & Willard Cantina & Cafe2 Sisneros Bros. Mfg.3 Jeffs Pumps4 (Bruce Gallegos Team)5 The Home Depot6 (Frank Garcia Team)7 Los Lunas Parks & Rec.8 Wal-Mart Distribution Center9 PG Enterprises/Jesse’s Fine Wood Works

10 Ray’s Trenching & Excavating/Sunset Foods11 Frank’s New Mexico Products & Diablo Ind.12 KG Construction/D&G Construction13 Rio Grande Financial Network/John Kirkpatrick Design & Consulting14 Fat Sats Bar / Roadrunner Pit Stop15 Farmers Insurance16 NM Underground / Systems MD17 Edward Michaels- Bibo Bar & Grill18 Disk It 19 ROC Construction20 Belen Consolidated Schools


Schedule of eventSWhen: Saturday, Feb. 25

Where: Sheriff’s Posse Grounds, Sheriff’s Posse Cafe and Valencia County Fairgrounds

Gates open: 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost: $10 at the gate, children ages 10 and under are free

Parking: $5 at the Valencia County Fairgrounds; Free shuttle rides will be provided from the New Mexico Rail Runner Station in Belen at 8:39 a.m. and

2:28 p.m. (and one departure from Belen at 4:05 p.m.), from Calvary Chapel Rio Grande Valley and from the designated parking area south and west of Taco Bell on Don Felipe Road and the I-25 Bypass. Donations will be accepted.

Where to buy tickets: Rio Grande Financial Network in Los Lunas, Carlos’ Cantina in Belen and any MyBank loca-tion.

9 a.m.: Liver contest9-10:30 a.m.: Music by Las

Garrapatas

10 a.m.: Carne adovada contest10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Music by

Tradicional11 a.m.: Chile, tortilla and biscochito

contestNoon: Iron Pig competition12:30-2 p.m.: Music by Los Alegres

de Belen2 p.m.: Chicharone contest3 p.m.: Awards ceremony

* Music by Romano Enrique, Mayala Alejandra, Sandra Montoya and Rafael Trujillo will also be performed through-out the day.

*All containers will be delivered to each team a half hour prior to judging time. It is the team’s responsibility to deliver each entry on time to the judge’s tent, which will be located inside the center tent.

Judging will be based on presenta-tion, taste, texture and smell. There will be first, second and third place awards given for each category. The grand champion will be selected by the total combined points from each category.

The specialty item has to contain some part of the pig to be eligible.

2012 Matanza SponSorSPlatinumCity of Belen

GoldBaca Rough Stock Rodeo

Valencia County News-BulletinValley Fence Co.

Waste Management

SilverBelen Consolidated Schools

Calabaza ConsultantsFiesta Tents

MyBankNew Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union

PNMState Farm Insurance, Brian Alexander

University of New Mexico-Valencia CampusHome Depot

Valencia County Sheriff’s Office

BronzeA&A Plumbing

Big Brothers/Big SistersCalvary Chapel Rio Grande Valley

CenturyLinkConquistador Dental, Dr. Roland Sanchez

El Paraiso Management Services, LLCGreetings Etc., Inc.

HUB Furniture and Carpet Co. Kangaroo Jumpers

Kyzer FarmLa Montanita Co-op

Mathews Custom Meat ProcessingNew Mexico Bank and Trust

New Mexico Water Service Co. Nino Trujillo & Co.

Old Mill Farm and Ranch StoresRed Doc Farms, Dr. Roland Sanchez

Safeco/Colorado CasualtySam’s Club

Sandia Laboratory FCUSchool of Dance Academy

Shawn Hogue/Up and Down GraphicsSheriff’s Posse Cafe

Sheriff’s Posse BoardState Employees Credit Union

Stewart TitleValencia County Fair Board

Village of Bosque FarmsVillage of Los Lunas

Volvo Rents

PoliticalCommittee to Elect David ChavezHector Balderas for U.S. SenateKelly Fajardo for County Clerk

State Sen. Michael SanchezPeggy Carabajal for County Clerk

ContributionHuning Limited Partnership

2012 Matanza teaMS• Tillery Pontiac, Buick, GMC and

Willard Cantina and Cafe• Sisneros Brothers Manufacturing• Jeffs Pumps• Bruce Gallegos Team• Home Depot• Frank Garcia Team• Los Lunas Parks and Recreation• Walmart Distribution Center• PG Enterprises and Jesse’s Fine

Wood Works• Ray’s Trenching and Excavating

and Sunset Foods• Frank’s New Mexico Products

and Diablo Ind.• KG Construction and D&G

Construction• Rio Grande Financial Network

and John Kirkpatrick Design and Consulting

• Fat Sat’s Bar and Grill and Roadrunner Pit Stop

• Farmers Insurance• New Mexico Underground and

Systems MD• Edward Michaels and Bibo

Bar and Grill• Disk It• ROC Construction• Belen Consolidated Schools

Rio Abajo Becker Street Festival

Last weekend of September

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Linda KuhnBen C deBaca: Southwest

Native DesignsAlbert Trujillo: Trujillo Cut Ups

Gail Holt: Purses, belts and Western jewelry

Henry Perea: Cooking kettles National Guard Armory

CenturyLink Abe Garcia: Coffee and treats Cecilia Jaramillo: Biscochitos

Beverly Maes: Cowgirl glam, belts and purses

Heidi Baca: Coffee and hot chocolate

Sam’s Club Brian Alexander: State Farm

Insurance Bonnie Montoya: Necklaces, brace-

lets, sport gifts and jewelry ABQ Kettle Corn

Sandia Area Federal Credit UnionState Rep. Alonzo Baldonado

Valencia County Democratic PartyHealth Quest Chiropractic

Peggy Carbajal Camille Briscoe Pastries of Love:

Funnel cakes, chocolate-covered straw-berries, pretzels, marshmallows and

extra-large homemade cookies El Paraiso Management Services

Juanita Cervantes: Toys, sunglasses

and novelties Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Rene Soiles/Chris Soiles: Pampered Chef and wireless Internet tech help

University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus

La Vida de Felecidad Los Lunas Pilot Club: Coffee

Civitan ClubKiwanis Club

Tiger Wrestling Team: Coffee and hot chocolate

Horsen’ Áround Therapeutic: Horse training

Children, Youth and Families Department

Los Lunas School Drumming Team Business Women of Valencia

County School of Dreams Academy: Hot

chocolate and doughnuts Los Lunas Middle School

Relay for LifeYouth Development Inc.

Richard Melzer: Valencia County Historical Society

Noe Lara: Art, walking sticks and crosses

Leslie Poolheco: CrossesRandy Simma: Pottery

Laura Franklin: Faith healer and herbalist

Dragon Star StudiosMax Coffee: Creative metal works

Belen Art League: Ann Marie Werner-Smith and Cher Colston

Lorraine Cordova: Acrylic land-scape paintings

Jason Baldonado: Crosses Sazza Arts of New Mexico: Sylvia

Regalbrugge, embellished steel crosses, polymer clay art jewelry and decorated

sweat shirtsRoger and Jane Hocking: Wood

designs and oil paintings Bruebaker: JewelryLorraine Spradling


2012 Matanza Vendors

CongratulationsValencia County Hispano Chamber

of Commerce on Matanza #12and your continued support of

Valencia County youth through the money raised at your matanza!

Senator Michael S. Sanchez505 Main St. SW

Los Lunas, NM 87031Los Lunas, NM [email protected]

865-0688


Food safety is a priority at the matanza every yearBy Julia M. DenDingerNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

BelenNo one likes the hall monitors, the

librarians who “shush” you or the cop who pulls you over for speeding.

But no one wants to be the one tram-pled by impatient students, to fail a test because the library was noisy or injured by a daredevil driver.

And when you pop that first chicharone into your mouth at the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce annual Matanza, you don’t want the nagging worry that you might get sick.

Thanks to a dedicated team of food safety experts from the New Mexico Environment Department, the chances of food-borne illness is slim.

This year, as every year since 2001, NMED will be lending a safe hand to the annual fundraiser.

Butch Tongate, deputy secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department, said the 20 teams that slaughter and pre-pare the meat during the matanza met with NMED staff on Feb. 15 for a course in safe food handling practices.

“We do this every year to comply with food handling rules,” Tongate said. “We give each team a permit application, and once it’s completed, we issue them a permit.

“When the day comes, there will be at least five inspectors out at the matanza to monitor preparations,” he said. “If they see anything that is a problem, they let the team members know and hopefully they can correct it immediately.”

This year, Frank Fiore, acting bureau chief of the Environmental Health Bureau, will be one of those inspectors out at the Sheriff’s Posse grounds mak-ing sure food is handled correctly and participants are kept safe.

“When you have an event that is open to the public and you feed people and serve food, there are regulations you have to adhere to,” Fiore said. “Food service and processing regulations require the

people participating in the food serving and preparation get the permit and we check to see they are adhering to safe food handling practices.

“You have a lot of things happening at the same time — tortillas, beans, maybe some biscochitos — something can go wrong. We want to educate those partici-pating in the process.”

Fiore said this year’s conflict between the chamber and the U.S. Department of Agriculture most likely occurred due to a shift in inspectors. He said for many years, the New Mexico Livestock Board was responsible for meat inspections.

Inspectors from the livestock board

would inspect the hogs for the matanza while they were alive and then after the animals were killed.

“They were granted authority under the USDA to do the inspections,” Fiore said. “The livestock board lost that authority in 2007. I’m not sure why or what hap-pened. As a result of them no longer hav-ing that authority, it reverted back to the USDA.”

During the matanza, Fiore said every-thing from the preparation to the cooking to the serving of the food is overseen by the NMED inspection team.

Different foods require different standards, he said. Pork, for example,

requires a cooking temperature of at least 170 degrees, but cooking temperatures for beef are lower.

“That’s why you can serve a steak rare. Pork, to a large extent, you cannot do that due to the chance of parasites in the flesh,” Fiore said. “It’s not as much an issue with beef.”

But there is still concern. Rare pieces of beef need to hit at least 130 degrees internally. Ground beef needs to make it up to 160 degrees, Fiore said.

Once it’s cooked, food needs to remain at 140 degrees until it’s served. If it drops below that temperature, health standards call for it to be chilled to 41 degrees, Fiore said, if it is going to be sitting for any length of time.

“Anything much over four hours, we know the temperature has dropped and it needs to be discarded,” he said.

Regular hand washing and gloves are key when serving any food that is ready to eat, Fiore said.

“Anything that has already been cooked or prepared, a sandwich, for example, no bare hands,” he said. “Clean hands without gloves are OK when work-ing with the raw food because it is going to be cooked, or go through a ‘kill step,’ before it’s consumed.”

Fiore said he isn’t sure if the depart-ment will give an award for the best site as it has in the past. But he is “most cer-tainly” looking forward to attending his first Valencia County Hispano Chamber Matanza.

“Our intent is to arrive early in the morning when things get started,” he said. “It should be a real eye opening for people who come early to see the teams begin the slaughter.”

But at the end of the day, the goal is to protect public health, Fiore said.

“It’s not just the meat. It can be some-thing as simple as a biscuit,” he said. “If a hand was sneezed on and didn’t get washed or the glove changed, someone can get sick. We aren’t able to prevent everything, but we can give direction and guidance.”

News-Bulletin file photo

THE NEW MEXICO Environment Department said those handling food at the matan-za are given instructions how to safely handle the meat.

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n See Walmart, Page 8

Walmart team hopes to defend championship titleBy Jason W. BrooksNews-Bulletin Staff Writerjbrooks @news-bulletin.com

Los LunasOf all the teams in the county hoping

to defend a title, one has nothing to do with sports.

The Walmart Distribution Center No. 6084 team will have someone to play each position at the 12th annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza, which is set for Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Sheriff’s Posse grounds.

And to hear the defending team cham-pions tell it, they have an all-star at every spot on the field.

From a professional butcher to a grill designated just for matanzas, the distri-bution center team has a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and it won the team champion title at the 2011 matanza.

It was the second time the group had won the team champion award, having triumphed also in 2006.

If the sports analogy about a winning team seems a stretch, it’s important to look at how a team of specialists blends to create a fluid unit that works together well.

“It’s in our background,” said Randy Griego, the team captain and lead orga-

Jason W. Brooks-News-Bulletin photo

THE WALMART DISTRIBUTION Center No. 6084 matanza team poses in front of its grill. The team won its second Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza team champion award in 2011.

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Walmart: Local team is determined to carry on the matanza traditionfrom PAGE 7

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nizer. “It’s part of our family traditions.”The list of Walmart employees, their

spouses, and many others, who make up the distribution center’s team, is vast. In addition to those who volunteer on matanza day or help in small ways, there are many who handle food in some way.

Griego is practically the only member of the team who doesn’t have a specific cooking job, but his wife, Yvonne, is one of the many chefs. She and Berna Castillo make sopaipillas.

Joe Jaramillo is a Tomé native and a career butcher, so he’s in charge of cut-ting up the pig. The point of a matanza, he says, is to use as much of the pig as possible, to show the next generation how its ancestors made the most of food.

Joe Lucero handles specialty foods, for which there is a separate award for each year. Thomas Chavez handles grill prep and keeping the fire going, while Marvin Glass holds the titles of “grillmaster” and “sanitation guru.”

Joe Gonzales handles chicharones, another specialty dish. Daniel Lucero is affectionately referred to as an “errand boy,” while Ken Chaffey, Shirl Santiago, Benny Lee Jaramillo and Joe Lucero have roles as well.

Lori Haught handles the liver specialty dish. Scott Myrick prepares carne ado-

vada, and Paul Castillo is in charge of selecting, moving and slaughtering the pig.

This will be Griego’s fifth year, and the 11th year for the team. He said the team is prepared for as much emphasis on

safety and handling as ever.“It needs to be really cold for a matan-

za, so we’ll see what kind of weather we have in late February,” he said. “And hopefully, it won’t be windy that day.”

Griego said he received a lot of phone calls after the initial cancellation of the matanza from people that arrange their January plans around the annual event. He thinks the health issues and the extra month of hype might make this the big-gest matanza yet.

“None of us wanted to let the event go, and those who had no interest before, are suddenly intrigued,” said Griego.

Jaramillo said last year, there was a moment that epitomized what matanzas are all about when Castillo’s son was allowed to kill the pig for the first time.

“It’s not that people have to cook food like this all the time anymore,” said Jaramillo. “But it’s important to teach our children how villages, especially in the northern half of the state, used to do things.

“You have to show young people first-hand, or the tradition won’t get passed down,” he said. “You can’t get this expe-rience out of a history book.”

Submitted photo

JOE JARAMILLO performs pork skin prep work for the Walmart Distribution Center No. 6084 matanza team. The group won team champion awards in 2006 and 2011.

2011 Matanza WinnersIron Pig Competition: 1. ROC Construction

People’s Choice Award: 1. Valencia Consulting Group/Devine Mortgage and Financial Services

Tortilla: 1. Ida Garley; 2. Karen Valenzuela; 3. Anita Montoya

Red chile: 1. Elaine Montoya; 2. Maria Toledo; 3. Danell Griego

Biscochito: 1. Cecilia’s Cafe; 2. Socorro Heft; 3. Pat Toennies and Cheryl Baca (tie)

Liver: 1. Valencia Consulting Group/Divine Mortgage and Financial Services and Tillery Pontiac, Buick, GMC and Willard Cafe (tie); 2. Rio Grande Financial Network/John Kirkpatrick Design and Consulting; 3. Ray’s Trenching and Excavating/Sunset Foods

Carne adovada: 1. Ray’s Trenching and Excavating/Sunset Foods; 2. Fat Sats/Roadrunner Pit Stop; 3. Walmart Distribution Center

Specialty item: 1. Walmart Distribution Center; 2. Ray’s Trenching and Excavating/

Sunset Foods; 3. Valencia Consulting Group/Divine Mortgage and Financial Services

Chicharone: 1. PG Enterpises/Jesse’s Fine Wood Works; 2. Lucero Farms/Broken Hammer Construction; 3. ROC Construction

Team Champion: 1. Walmart Distribution Center; 2. Ray’s Trenching and Excavating/Sunset Foods; 3. PG Enterprises/Jesse’s Fine Wood Works


News-Bulletin file photos

THE FABULOUS FLAVORS at the annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza can be both smelled and tasted on Saturday, Feb. 25.

MATANZA MADNESS

660 Main Street NW P.O. Box 1209Phone (505) 839-3840 FAX (505) 352-3580

MayorRobert

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CouncilorsCecilia CC Castillo Charles Griego

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Thank You For Keeping A Valencia County Tradition Alive!Village of Los Lunas


n See Tradition, Page 12

Families continue matanza tradition year after yearBy ABigAil R. ORtizNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

It’s more than eating fresh food in every form a pig can be cooked in. Yearly matanza celebrations are about spending time with family, friends, making new memories and keeping this old Hispanic tradition alive.

Chamber matanzaThe annual Valencia County Hispano

Chamber of Commerce Matanza began in 2000 as a way to finance scholarships.

The event grew from having four hogs for two teams with about 300 to 400 people in attendance the first year to hav-ing 47 hogs for 20 teams with more than 10,000 people in attendance today.

“The second year we had it, we maybe had four or five teams,” said Yvonne Sanchez, president of the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce. “Then it was just tremendous from that point on.”

With the struggles this year’s event faced with a possible cancellation, this year’s matanza is bringing about more pride in residents, Sanchez said.

“I really think the community wants to gather together and celebrate that and show everybody else out there what a great event a matanza is and how it brings the community together,” she said.

Matanzas are a part of the local culture and something Sanchez said the commu-nity must hold on to.

“I don’t think there’s anything that can describe when you’re out there,” she said. “It’s like you’re a part of their family and the sense of competition. It’s pride of how maybe your grandparents showed you how to do something.”

Having an annual matanza is a way of carrying on this Hispanic tradition for residents who have moved away or can’t celebrate in their own backyards. By con-tinuing this tradition, Sanchez said resi-dents are keeping their culture alive.

Los Lunas resident David Valenzuela, who’s team has won three champions awards and two People’s Choice Awards among others, has participated in the competitions with family and friends for 10 years.

“It’s hard work and we have a good time,” Valenzuela said. “That’s the best flavor to add — having a good time.”

Delilah Sanchez, Valenzuela’s daugh-ter, said being involved in the event is a way her family ensures the younger generations know the intricate details of this tradition.

“They just want to make sure that when they’re gone one day, that we con-tinue the way that they do it,” Delilah

said. “I think a lot of the teams now, even though their grandfathers, did it, they didn’t really learn it and they’re just guessing how to do it.”

Before starting the day, whether at family matanza or at the chamber event, Sanchez said her family makes a toast for those who have passed away.

“They always give us good days,” she said. “It could be an ugly day before or an ugly day after, but that day of, we never worry because they bring us a good day.”

Remembering days of oldToby Sanchez, of Belen, said he’s been

participating in family matanzas since he

was a child — almost 90 years ago.“It’s something we grew up with,”

Sanchez said.When he was a young boy, Sanchez’s

neighbors and family would take turns holding matanzas at their homes and sharing the food with each other.

Jessie Trujillo, also of Belen, said her family would send plates of food to neighbors, which isn’t done anymore.

“Now, people have their own matan-zas at home and invite family and a few friends, but they don’t send food over to their neighbors like they used to,” Trujillo said.

Belen resident Ed Trujillo said matan-

Abigail R. Ortiz-News-Bulletin photo

MANY LOCAL FAMILIES keep the tradition of matanzas alive by having their own and participating in the annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza. Pictured, from left, are Delilah Sanchez, and her parents, Alice and David Valenzuela.

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Tradition: Youth enjoy matanzasfrom PAGE 10

zas, a yearly tradition, are beautiful.“We do them every year, not only once,

but a bunch of them. Every weekend we have one,” Trujillo said, adding each family has their own cooking and ingre-dient secrets.

Matanzas revive memories of old when elderly residents would watch their own parent’s slaughter and cook food, as well as spend time with family, friends and neighbors, said Marie Varela, of Belen.

“It’s so weird. You sit there and lis-ten to people, and all the time they say, ‘I remember when I did this with my father,’ and ‘I remember when I did this with my grandfather.’ It just brings back the tradition,” Varela said, adding con-tinuing the celebration helps instill the tradition in younger generations.

With four boys and four girls, Las Nutrias resident Esmael Baca said he and his wife aren’t involved with his family’s annual matanza since his children have taken charge of the tradition.

“The boys shoot the pig and bleed him, take him to a big board and scrape it. They do the work,” Baca said, adding his daughters took over his wife’s matanza duties.

Valenzuela said if it wasn’t for his grandchildren, he would have stopped putting on his personal matanza that began more than 25 years ago.

“The grandkids say, ‘Grandpa the pigs are already big. We got to kill him.’ Before they were pets, and now as soon as they’re big, the grandchildren are ready to have a matanza,” he said laugh-ing.

Alice Valenzuela, David’s wife, described the family matanzas as fiestas, where attendees sit and chat under tents, play in horseshoe tournaments and listen to a choir or band.

Making new memoriesFor Adriana Martinez, a Belen High

School senior who has been celebrating matanzas since she can remember, this event celebrates her family’s life.

“It’s celebrating what’s going on, what we’ve come through throughout the year, and I guess it’s just kind of really cel-ebrating each other’s presence,” Martinez said.

To Omar Gallegos, another BHS senior, matanzas are a family reunion, which Gallegos’ grandparents travel from Mexico to attend.

“It’s us getting together and celebrating that my grandma and grandpa are there, because we don’t have them here all the time,” Gallegos said.

Matanzas are a New Mexican tradition and something some consider a holiday, Martinez said.

“Most New Mexicans, I guess, we con-sider it in our state as a holiday, because we are so accustomed to it,” Martinez said, adding her family has matanzas several times a year.

April Chavez, a BHS junior, said she looks forward to the yearly event.

“It’s where you go all out and have food, chicharones, share things with one another, have a good time and eat good food,” Chavez said.

Delilah Sanchez said this event reso-nates with her children.

“If my children came in here and you asked them, ‘What is your favorite holi-day of the year?’ It isn’t Christmas, it isn’t Easter and it isn’t Thanksgiving — it’s the matanza, and every single one of them would say that,” she said, adding the tradition and family time is invalu-able.

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Kiddie Corral offers children activities, old-fashioned games

By Brent ruffnerNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

BelenLooking for somewhere to keep

the children entertained at this year’s Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce’s Matanza?

The Kiddie Corral might be your answer.

The special area, which is in a rodeo-sized arena, is geared to keep children occupied with games and activities during the annual event on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Admission to the Kiddie Corral is free, and the area features games such as tug-of-war and gunny sack races.

Hispano Board President Yvonne Sanchez said the group wanted to devi-ate from children who are used to the age of technology and activities that involve video games and computers. Children 10 and under get into the matanza at no charge.

“We wanted old-fashioned games,” Sanchez said. “We are going to have tug-of-war and gunny sack races. All of that stuff is free. There is no charge.”

Sanchez said there will be two jump-

ers and face-painting for a nominal fee. Members of the Valencia County Sheriff’s Posse will be giving children pony rides for $1 each. Members of the National Guard are also expected to have a climbing rock wall for children in that area.

“We are not babysitting the kids,” Sanchez said. “Obviously, if they are younger, we want the parents to be there to supervise them.”

Sanchez said Home Depot, a sponsor of the matanza, will have officials on hand to help with children’s activities. Officials will have kits for children to build a certain project. In years past, kits have included building a bird house and a tool box.

She said board members wanted the Kiddie Corral to be similar to a regular family matanza where the children play while the adults work on making the food.

“If you aren’t there doing the cook-ing, you are out there playing with cousins and neighbors, running around climbing trees and doing that kind of stuff,” Sanchez said. “We want it to be a family event, that’s why there isn’t a charge.”

News-Bulletin file photo

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Local butcher explains the use of pig parts

By Julia M. DenDingerNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

BelenYour mom always told you to finish all

your food and not be wasteful. Usually in reference to starving children some-where.

A similar sentiment is applied to the hogs used in the annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza. While starving children proba-bly won’t be found at the event, there also won’t be much left of the hogs either.

Traditionally, the matanza season starts when the weather gets cold in the months approaching the holidays.

More than just a social event to pass the cold months, early matanzas were a crucial annual event to get the lard that families would need for holiday dishes and for the rest of the year.

Lard was used to make holiday foods such as tamales, posole and the sweet treat of biscochitos. The traditions of matanzas came to New Mexico from Spain.

For the past 12 years, the chamber has worked hard to maintain the tradition of

the annual slaughter and Steve Chavez and his wife, Chrissy, the owners of Mathews Meats in Belen, have helped carry on that tradition by processing extra hogs for the matanza.

Because the event has grown so much over the past decade, one hog per team often isn’t quite enough for the crowds.

Steve said while the average customer will ask for a variety of cuts off a hog — pork chops, roasts and tender loin — when they process meat for the matanza, everything is cut small so it can easily go into a vat of red chile for carne adovada or into a cooking disk as carnitas.

Steve and Chrissy bought the busi-ness from Jon Mathew in 2001, but they weren’t new to the process of meat pro-cessing or matanzas.

“My dad had a meat processing plant right out of his home on Tafoya Road in Belen,” Steve said. “In 1975, he got a business license from the city. There wasn’t much to it back then.”

Times have changed, and Mathews Meats is licensed through the New Mexico Livestock Board, is subject to regular inspections by the board and the

Julia M. Dendinger-News-Bulletin photo

CHRISSY AND STEVE CHAVEZ, owners of Mathews Meats, help carry on the tradi-tion of the matanza by processing extra hogs for the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce’s annual Matanza.n See Meat, Page 14

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Meat: Each part of the hog usedfrom PAGE 14

New Mexico Environment Department and of course a business license through Valencia County, since their business is located just outside the Belen city limits.

Steve said they are pursuing U.S. Department of Agriculture certification for the processing center.

Setting aside the modern world of white aprons and electric knives, Steve and Chrissy talk about how a hog is used in a traditional matanza.

Typically, the process begins with boil-ing water and burlap sacks. After the hog is killed, the hair has to be taken off. Some folks lay the sacks on the carcass and pour water over it, while others dip the burlap into vats of boiling water and put them on the hog to soften the hair.

Steve explains that there is a fine line between getting the carcass too hot and not hot enough.

“You have to know what you’re doing,” he said.

Next, they gut the animal and take out the internal organs — the liver, heart and kidneys. Steve said many people will save the fat from around the kidney because it’s soft and crumbly and melts easily.

“They use it to get started cooking the carnitas,” he said.

Steve said he can remember matanzas as a child when they would thoroughly clean the small intestine, then cut it into small sections and fry them until they were crispy. The ears and tail are often tucked into the coals for later and the head is cooked for tamale meat.

“That you usually give to mama,” he said with a smile.

Then the teams cut strips of fat with the skin still attached off the carcass and the fat and skin is separated. There is usually a small amount of meat still attached to the fat, which makes for the best chicharones.

Chrissy says when a pig comes in for processing, the owner needs to make a tough choice — bacon or chicharones — because it all comes from the same place, the pork belly.

Steve said he was certain that pork belly prices had little or nothing to do with chicharones.

“They talk about the stock market and pork bellies a lot, so I guess they do pretty well,” he laughed.

Then the teams begin breaking down the hog into the large cuts of meat, which are then cut into cubes or strips, depend-ing on preference, for carne adovada, carnitas and other aromatic dishes.

Steve said the front shoulder is usually put into the red chile to marinate.

“There’s usually more marbling in them — more fat,” he said. “Some people don’t like that today, because most people want all lean cuts.”

The back leg ends up in the red chile and the loin is often cut into small steaks as a treat. Ribs are cut in half for easy handling and eating, and soaked in red chile.

“You know, everything is red chile,” Steve says, pausing. “I never really thought about it. I wonder why that is. I don’t know anyone who uses green chile at a matanza.”

Any little trimmings and some fat goes into making the carnitas, Steve said.

By this time, there’s not much left of the hog but the feet, and there’s a use for them too, Chrissy said.

“The feet go into posole. It’s an older tradition, and I don’t know if they do it at the matanza,” she said.

After clarifying that people won’t see little pointy hooves floating around in a cooking pot, Chrissy said it’s still some-thing her mother does.

And the good thing about traditions is, there’s really no wrong way to do them. Chrissy said when she was a kid, and her family slaughtered a hog, her father would take the back leg and cut the meat into long strips, soak the strips in red chile, then hang them in the shed to dry.

“Then he would send us out for a little at a time,” she said. “He would tell us go to the shed and get some ‘enchilada.’ That’s what he always called it. You know, I don’t know why.”

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Fat Sat’s owner keeping tradition alive for childrenBy Brent ruffnerNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

BelenThis time of year is a time for cul-

ture and tradition. On Saturday, Feb. 25, that tradition will live on.

In December, Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce board members voted to cancel its annual matanza because of an ongo-ing dispute with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Carlo Trujillo is one of many who is glad the USDA reversed its decision over the annual pig roast. The matan-za will take place at the Valencia County Sheriff’s Posse grounds.

Trujillo, who is one of a group of owners at Fat Sat’s Bar and Grill and the Roadrunner Pit Stop, said the chamber’s matanza has become an important way to continue a New Mexican tradition.

“I think it’s very important,” Trujillo said. “This is culture. This is tradition. This is something that I want to show my children.”

Trujillo said his family has partici-pated in matanzas ever since he can remember. A picture of his grand-father, Saturnino Trujillo, a former contractor in the area, and other family members from the 1940s is proudly displayed at the front of the restaurant. The picture was taken at a matanza in Valencia County.

“I remember growing up with my grandpa and uncles and relatives and helping them out since I was 4 or 5 years old,” Trujillo said.

This year, Trujillo said his team of 10 to 14 people plan to enter competi-tions that include serving up plates such as carne adovada and chichar-ones. In 2009, the team won the Iron Pig Competition, in which teams are given a box of ingredients and must make something that looks and tastes

good in a certain amount of time. Trujillo said the team uses chile

from Garfield, N.M., that should

come in handy for the matanza. He said that the right spice can have the judges leaning toward a certain recipe

over another.“If you have a good flavored chile,

it definitely helps in everything that you do,” Trujillo said.

But Trujillo said he will definitely be busy for this year’s event.

He said the restaurant will cook breakfast for the entire Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza. Fat Sat’s recent-ly started offering its customers a breakfast menu.

He said the Fat Sat’s team is com-prised of non-employees and that the name doesn’t necessarily give them a leg up on the competition.

“When we are doing that competi-tion, we don’t really think of it as our restaurant,” Trujillo said. “It’s our family and our friends getting togeth-er, just like back in the day. “

Trujillo’s father, Joe, said he remem-bers getting up before sunrise from the time he was little and going through a progression that started with gathering materials to being a major contributor to the event.

He said the event usually means people who cook the food smell like pork afterwards. But he admits matanzas are “a blast.”

“It’s something we have always done in our family once or twice a year,” Joe said.

The elder Trujillo said teams can learn from one another and pick up different methods of cooking along the way. He said teams can make their technique better by watching others at the event.

“Everybody has their own way of doing it,” Trujillo said.

But he said Valencia County resi-dents should come out to celebrate the tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.

“In Belen, people are always doing matanzas,” Carlo Trujillo said. “It’s good for everybody to get a taste.”

Brent Ruffner-News-Bulletin photo

CARLO TRUJILLO, of Fat Sat’s Bar and Grill, holds a picture of a matanza from the 1940s. The picture was taken at a matanza in Valencia County.

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n See Parks, Page 18

Chicharones are favorite of LL Parks and Rec teamBy Mike StearnSNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

Los LunasIf the rest of the matanza teams

are taking the Los Lunas Parks and Recreation team lightly, then they haven’t taken into account Herman Garcia’s vast experience.

Garcia calls the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza the “Super Bowl” of matanzas.

With this being only the third matanza for the parks and recreation team, Garcia’s life-long love of matanzas will play a prominent role.

Garcia has been a participant in all 11 of the previous matanzas, but that is not all of his experience. He and his family have been doing matanzas since he was a boy.

“Matanzas have been around here since I was brought up,” says Garcia. “When you have a matanza, all of the neighbors would bring things over. It is not just about familia, it is about the neighbors — the vecinos.”

Consequently, Garcia knows most of his competitors and they know him. But that is one of the things that make

Mike Stearns-News-Bulletin photo

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Parks: Garcia shares his recipefrom PAGE 17

this a much anticipated event for the Valencia County native.

“It is all about the fellowship,” said Garcia. “I mean, it is a competition and I like to win. I guess everyone does.”

But win or not, Garcia just likes to see people enjoying the traditional Hispanic fare, such as carne adovada, biscochitos, ribs soaked in red chile, and Garcia’s favorite, chicharones.

“I just like to see people eating those ribs with chile pouring down the sides of their mouth,” said Garcia.

Joining Garcia on the team will be Parks and Recreation Director Mike Jaramillo, Youth Sports Coordinator Jason Duran and Park Ranger Pat Jaramillo. Garcia anticipates help from a couple of the guys from the street department as well.

“As long as the village continues to approve (the expense), we will be here,” said Garcia. “As a matter of fact, Village Administrator Peter Fernandez is going to come help us this year.”

Garcia is glad the tradition was not interrupted by the United States Department of Agriculture, as was originally thought.

Of the decision to have the event, Garcia said, “It is a big thing. What kind of irritated me is that this whole thing is for kids. All of this is going for scholarship.

“I have done matanzas since the 1970s, and I have never heard of any-one getting sick. We have done every-thing that they have asked of us.”

Garcia noted that his team, as well as most of the others, were very will-ing to comply with anything the heath department or USDA would ask of them.

Garcia is glad the tradition of the event will not be impugned or inter-rupted by unnecessary outside regula-tion this year.

“It is a family thing,” said Garcia of the spirit of the matanza. “We see the kids and the elderly people — every-one comes out.”

Garcia noted that many of the older people are glad to see young people participating. He wants the tradition to be handed down to the next gen-eration, just as his father taught him.

“When I am gone, you guys have to take over,” Garcia said. “It is a tradi-tion that has to continue on. I will never stop doing it. I will help anyone to cook matanza.”

Garcia has coached Young American Football League teams in Los Lunas for more than 14 years. When the kids come over for a foot-ball matanza at his house, he works

on teaching the young men how to prepare the pig for cooking in the matanza tradition.

“I love to make the chicharones,” said Garcia. “That is my speciality. It is kind of a secret.”

Noting that the chicharones are usually the last item cooked, Garcia said, “If you go to matanza, that is the thing that people want is the chichar-ones. I love eating and I love cooking. That is what I love to do.”

Thinking about his favorite part of the matanza, Garcia began to share his father’s recipe.

“OK, I’ll tell you my secret. I’ll tell you right now,” said Garcia. “There are only three ingredients, milk and salt (and pork fat).

“Some people do them right away, but I tell you what I do,” he said. “I let the fat get a little done and then I add the milk and salt at the same time. That gives it the taste, color and texture all at the same time.”

Garcia cautioned about cooking the favorite treat too fast.

“It takes about three hours,” the experienced cook said. “That is the problem with the way a lot of people make them. It has to go slow. The best way is over a small fire and with wood. They do not taste as good over a propane tank.”

Garcia remembers all of the matan-zas, from the first rain-soaked event to last year’s 11th annual. But the first one sticks out in his mind, held in a downpour that did not stop the cooks or the crowd from attending.

“We got down and we got ready and I am not lying, we were cooking with our fires floating in water,” he said of the first Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza. “People showed up. They ate the pigs and it was wonderful.”

He recalled the sixth year when the rains came again. The event was post-poned for two weeks and they still had to lay straw down for people to walk on the rain-soaked ground.

“We called it mud-tanza,” said Garcia, laughing.

“I am glad that it came back. It is good for the economy,” he said. “All of this money is going to stay right here in this county. We can’t lose this thing.

“I just want to wish everyone good luck. I like everyone out there and I know them all. I wish them all good luck,” he said. “I enjoy it, I don’t know why. I guess it is like a sport to me.

“I am ready for it,” said Garcia of the matanza “Super Bowl.” “Let the games begin.”

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n See Art, Page 20

Artists, crafters to show their work at Matanza

By DeBorah FoxNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

Los LunasFeed all of your senses at the 12th

annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza, where the art of cooking traditional pork dishes will be complimented by the work of local artisans.

This year, there will be more art ven-dors than last year, showcasing a pot-pourri of items guaranteed to delight and astonish your visual and tactile senses.

There will also be the healing arts of local curanderas (healers), such as Laura Alonzo de Franklin.

“I tried to get everybody to kind of use a Southwestern theme, ruralist and that sort of thing to kind of go along with matanza,” said Los Lunas artist and author Noé Lara.

He gathered together a wide variety of more than a dozen artisans and craft smiths, honoring local culture and tradi-tion.

Lara will have a booth with many of his own Southwestern-themed paintings, decorated wooden walking sticks and

driftwood crosses inlaid with semipre-cious stones that he has been creating most recently.

Jason Baldonado will also bring wood-en crosses to the matanza along with Leslie Poolheco, who will be offering her crosses, too.

The art bizarre will be set up near the music at the Sheriff’s Posse Cafe.

Local historian Richard Melzer, a pro-fessor at the University of New Mexico, will have a booth with his books on state history available for purchase. His pub-lications have appeared in New Mexico Magazine, the New Mexico Historical Review, Western Historical Quarterly, El Palacio, Journal of the West and Military History of the Southwest.

Max Coffee will have his new metal work and chimeneas-type stoves. He makes interesting metal creations, some with a holiday theme, such as a giant cac-tus decorated with Christmas lights, and others that are just decorative. He also has interesting pendulum pieces that can be useful as meditation tools.

“He’s a very creative guy,” Lara said. “I just admire people like that.”

Deborah Fox-News-Bulletin photo

ARTIST AND AUTHOR Noé Lara has gathered together a large variety of local arti-sans and crafters for the 12th annual Matanza. Lara will showcase his oil paintings as well as his walking sticks and driftwood crosses.

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Art: Various mediums displayedfrom PAGE 19

Painter Sylvia Regelbrugge is also a potter who forms polymer clay Pueblo churches and jewelry. She also renders unique embellished steel crosses.

“They are really, really nice,” Lara said about her crosses. “You’ll just have to see them. They are beautiful.”

The micaceous pottery that artist Vilis sculpts comes from an ancient New Mexico art dating back nearly 2,000 years. The clay is found all over the state and produces beautiful, metallic pottery that is durable and safe to use in cooking.

It’s what some of the earliest inhabit-ants of the area used to cook with. He digs and processes his own clay to make the unglazed cookware.

“The pottery he makes you can cook with,” Lara said. “That’s the difference between his micaceous pottery and the rest of them.”

In March, Vilis will give a four-week workshop on his technique at the Tomé Art Gallery, Lara said.

The Belen Art League will have two booths where productions by a number of its members will be available for pur-chase.

Just in time for Easter, intricately painted faber eggs by Jane Chevalier will be available. These extraordinary egg creations are made from ostrich, turkey and other egg shells.

When Chevalier asked Lara how the eggs would fit in with matanza, he told her about an old Mexican tradition.

“We had what is called, Coscarones, this is a Mexican and Hispanic tradition around the Southwest ... you drill a little hole in the egg, wash it out and fill them full of confetti for Easter Sunday picnics or backyard parties.”

There will be landscape oil paintings by Chere Holtz, Carmen de Leon and Lorraine Cordova, plus professional pho-tographs of local landscapes and other scenes by Cheryl Holston.

Don’t miss Ann Marie Werner-Smith’s charming elongated sculptures of saints. Randy Simma makes awesome ceramic adobe and Southwestern-style night lights and other ceramic creations.

Then there is Ben C. de Baca who will have his paintings on wood, and Roger Hocking who does woodwork with a scroll saw. He also has leather and bead work.

Albert Trujillo makes one-of-a-kind knives, forging his own blade, whittling his own wooden handles, and stitching his own leather sheaths.

In another section of booths, there will be some commercial vendors as well, selling jewelry, clothing and other manu-factured items.

NOE LARA, a Los Lunas artist, will show his art, including this Southwestern oil painting. Lara said this was originally a painting of Jesus Christ, but decided to change it because “sometimes that’s how my artwork evolves.”

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By DeBorah FoxNews-Bulletin Staff [email protected]

BelenThis year’s music line up for the annual

Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza will be a little bit different than in prior years.

New to the venue is a young dance troupe, La Merced Elementary Ballet Folklorico. They recently performed at the state capitol, and have performed at churches and nursing homes over the years.

Dance teacher, Etna Garcia, and her group of 20 dancers have been working together for five years.

The music emphasis this year will be more rancherita than mariachi due to the delay in the event this year, said Pete Rael, the matanza entertainment orga-nizer.

“The rancherita-style bands play faster songs, more foxtrot style,” he said. “They play songs that are more local in nature, rather than the international songs done by the great mariachi bands of Mexico and the Southwestern United States.”

There will be two hours of Mariachi music and at least three hours of local rancherita bands.

“The brand new one is a local band, totally local in nature, and that’s Los Alegres de Belen,” said Rael.

They are from around the county, and have been playing at senior centers, church fundraisers, weddings, baptisms and anniversaries for most of the past decade.

Singer Frank Esquibel, who manages the band, said they were awful when they first started. If you have ever heard them play, you will find that hard to believe.

“One thing led to another and we found out we really loved it,” Esquibel said. “We don’t do it for the money, that’s for sure.”

The band regularly volunteers to play at many senior centers, including Belen, Socorro, Isleta and as far north as Aztec. Sometimes, they get a little stipend to

help with travel expenses.The band has a following who dance

wherever the band is playing.“We love doing it and seeing oth-

ers enjoy it,” said Esquibel. “We play cumbias, rancheritas and we do waltzes — corritas.”

They also play country and west-ern songs and a host of oldies and “La Bamba,” and “Bye, Bye Love” by the Everly Brothers.

“We play for celebrations, graduations ― just any occasion that might come up that somebody wants a live band, we

can do it,” Esquibel said. “Just before Christmas, we played at the Hard Rock Hotel for Isleta elders.”

The band will start its set at noon and play until 2 p.m., maybe to 3 p.m.

The other rancherita band is a matanza favorite, Los Garrapatas, who will put a tick in your ear and make you dance.

They have played the matanzas for the past four years, said Gene Chavez, lead and rhythm guitarist. They have won several music awards from the New Mexico Hispano Music Association, the New Mexico Hispano Entertainers

Association, and the KANW’s People’s Choice Band of the Year.

Los Garrapatas were the special guests of the New Mexico Musical Academy at the Quince Grandes Awards Show, said Chavez.

“The Garrapatas are going to play clearly New Mexico-rooted songs, because they wrote the songs,” said Rael. “One of the songs they are noted for is, ‘La Matanza.’ That’s kind of their signa-ture song, and everyone loves that song, because it is about a matanza.”


n See Entertainment, Page 23

Mariachi and rancherita music to entertain at matanza

Submitted photo

MARIACHIS TRADICIONAL will perform at the annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza again this year. Some of the other entertainers will also sit in for a couple of songs with the local rancheritas bands, Los Garrapatas and Los Alegres de Belen.

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Entertainment: Locals to performfrom PAGE 21

All of the band members are native New Mexicans. The band evolved from the rodeos of Escobosa.

Leo Chavez, the oldest brother and founder of Los Garrapatas, started tak-ing his younger brothers to each rodeo and asked them to fill in at various times for missing or absent musicians,” said Chavez.

By the early 1970s, “after a particu-larly good cumbia sabrosa,” said singer Leo Chavez, the emcee and announcer of the rodeo, Ben Torrez of Chilili, a well-known musician and singer in his own right, exclaimed, “Ahhoooeee, estos hermanos son como las garrapatas cuando se te meten en las orejas, no les puedes quitar el zumbido!”

From that day on, la gente from the pueblitos started referring to the rodeo house band, the Chavez brothers, as “Los Garrapatas,” and the name was born, said Chavez.

They will play from 9 to 10:30 a.m. with the mariachis to follow.

“The Mariachis Tradicional played last year,” said Rael. “I asked them to play again this year, and they are going to play for two hours.”

Along with their own singers, they will add New Mexico State University student Mayela Alejandra, and singer

Romano Enrique from Tomé.He’s been living in Spain with his

wife, but happens to be here on a visit. “He’s a super singer,” said Rael.Alejandra is a Los Lunas High School

graduate, and has been a professional mariachi singer for 12 years. She has performed at six of the annual matan-zas, and has several of her own CDs.

“Making it to a professional level as a female mariachi singer is complicated, but I will never stop trying to be the next famous female mariachi singer,” Alejandra said.

Since she was a little girl, she remem-bers her father playing the guitar and singing.

“He was my influence to start sing-ing,” she said. “One day, I sang a song called ‘El Columpio’ with my dad. He said I had a voice and had to do some-thing with it.”

From that day on, she knew she wanted to use her singing voice to reach people’s hearts to make a difference in the world.

“These are concert quality folks,” Rael said. “The mariachi band as well as the singers.”

The mariachi singers will also sing a song or two with the rancherita bands.

MARIACHI SINGER Mayela Alejandra is a Los Lunas High School graduate, and cur-rently enrolled at New Mexico State University. She has treated audiences with her powerful singing at the past six matanzas.

Don’t Miss The 12th Annual Matanza!

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382 CORONADO LANE, LOS LUNAS 1,800 Sq. Ft., 3Bed, 2Bath

Tons of Amenities $189,500.00

371 CORONADO LANE, LOS LUNAS 1,550 Sq. Ft., 3Bed, 2Bath


1428 JUAN PEREA, LOS LUNAS 1,915 Sq. Ft., 3Bed, 2Bath

.79 Acre, seconds from the Railrunner $128,000.00

1065 HWY 304, LAS NUTRIAS 1,550 Sq. Ft., 3Bed, 2Bath


Congratulations to theVALENCIA COUNTY HISPANO

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE On the 12th Annual Matanza!

56 & 58 EDEAL RD., LOS LUNAS 2 Homes, Barn, 8.70 Acres

10 Acre feet of Pre-1907 Water Rights $999,000.00-Price Reduced!

64 EDEAL RD., LOS LUNAS 2.25 Acres & Home

$205,000.00-Price Reduced!

64-A EDEAL RD., LOS LUNAS 3.20 Acres

7 Acre feet of Pre-1907 Water Rights $230,000.00-Price Reduced!

SILVER RD/HWY 314, LOS LUNAS 8 Acres


2730 S. LOS LENTES, LOS LUNAS 5.82 Acres & Home


2750 S. LOS LENTES, LOS LUNAS 4.20 Acres & Mobile Home


237 HWY 346, BOSQUE 5 Acres & 2 Homes


SILVER RD/HWY 314, LOS LUNAS 8 Acres


LAMBROS LOOP, LOS LUNAS 3.94 Acres w/Pre-1907 water rights


MIGUEL RD, TOME 17.9945 Acres w/Pre-1907 water rights

$1,259,615.00

CIELO ESCONDIDO, TOME 6.13 Acres


MESA RD, BELEN 22.98 Acres $689,400.00

CARSON DRIVE, LOS LUNAS 3.04 Acres

$1,185,880.00

STOREY AVE, BELEN 3.75 Acres/3-1.25 acre lots $36,000.00-Price Reduced!

ROMERO RD., TOME 25.44 Acres/can be split into 8.48 acre tracts

$890,400.00

2195 BOSQUE FARMS BLVD 3,200 sq.ft.bldg, 1.40 Acres

$580,000.00

WINDMILL RD, BOSQUE 7.73 Acres


12 JARAMILLO LOOP, VEGUITA 12.37 Acres w/Home & Barn $199,000.00-Price Reduced!

VINEYARDS, SOCORRO COUNTY 9.58 Acres


VINEYARDS, VEGUITA 82 Acres


LUJAN RD., LOS LUNAS .5664 Acre

$140,000.00

LUJAN RD., LOS LUNAS .50 Acre

$150,000.00

620 E. REINKEN AVE, BELEN 1,800 sq. ft. bldg & 900 sq. ft. bldg.

$300,000.00 or Lease-$2,000 per month

1500 RIVER RD., BELEN 1,810 sq. ft. home/office, 1.30 Acres


MAIN STREET, BELEN .53 Acre

$161,602.00

I-25 BYPASS, BELEN 8.5870 Acres- $1,309,171.00 1.1371 Acres- $ 227,192.00

DON LUIS TRUJILLO BLVD, BELEN 10 Acres

$1,960,200.00

I-25 BYPASS, BELEN 4.1763 Acres


HWY 314 FRONTAGE, BELEN 1.114 Acres- $195,000.00 2.07 Acres- $195,000.00

855 CASTILLO RD., BELEN 2,400 sq. ft. bldg., .24 Acre

$200,000.00 or Lease $2,200 per month

324 SOUTH MAIN, BELEN 18,882 sq. ft-bldg, 1.717 Acres $295,000.00-Price Reduced!

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2012 VCHCC Matanza Program

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