Recogida facts for kids

Recogida is a Spanish word that means "to pick up" or "to collect." You might use it when talking about collecting things like mail or garbage, or picking up people or goods. In farming, it can mean to gather, pick, or harvest crops.

What is a Recogida for Animals?

In Spanish-speaking parts of America, especially in the past, a recogida was a special event for gathering animals. It was like a big round-up where cowboys would collect horses, sometimes even wild ones called mesteños (which are like mustangs).

The main reason for these round-ups was to sort out the animals and make sure each owner got their own horses back. This was similar to how early rodeos were held for cattle.

Judges of the Plains

These animal round-ups were often overseen by important people called Jueces del Campo, which means "Judges of the Plains." These judges helped make sure everything was fair and that there were no arguments about who owned which animal.

In California, back in 1851, a law was made to officially create this job. The law said that the Judges of the Plains would serve for one year and had specific duties. One of their most important jobs was to settle disagreements.

The law stated:

"§3. Whenever any dispute arises respecting the ownership, mark, or brand of any horse, mule, jack, jenny, or horned cattle, it shall be the duty of the judges of the plains to decide on such dispute."

This meant if two people argued about who owned a horse, mule, or cow, the Judges of the Plains would be the ones to make the final decision. They looked at things like the animal's brand (a mark burned onto its skin to show ownership) or other identifying marks. This system helped keep order and fairness among ranchers and cowboys.