Manuel Fuentes

{{Infobox person

|image=Farolito.png

|name=Manuel Fuentes

|full_name=Manuel Antonio Fuentes Alarcón

|nickname=Farolito{{cite web|url=https://www.caballoyrodeo.cl/portal_rodeo/site/artic/20210324/pags/20210324223804.html|title=1974 Yearbook: Nicknames that arose from the affection of the corraleros|access-date=June 29, 2025|author=Chilean Rodeo Federation|date=March 23, 2021}}

|birth_date={{birth date|1940|6|16|mf=y}}

|birth_place=El Manzano, Chile

|death_date={{death date and age|2025|6|11|1940|6|16|mf=y}}

|death_place=Pichidegua, Chile

|Sport=Chilean Rodeo

|awards=1973 National Rodeo Championship
1981 National Rodeo Championship

}}

Manuel Antonio Fuentes Alarcón (April 16, 1940 – June 11, 2025) was a Chilean rider in the rodeo, two-time Chilean champion.{{cite web|url=https://www.elrancaguino.cl/2025/06/15/chile-primera-division-nublense-vs-audax-italiano-fecha-14/|title=Double Chilean rodeo champion Manuel “Farolito” dies Sources|access-date=2025-06-15|author=El Rancagüino|date=2025-06-11}} Accompanied by Ramón Cardemil, he was champion of Chile in the 1973 and 1981 championships.{{cite web|access-date=2021-04-15 |author=Quinchas |title=Manuel "Farolito" Fuentes |url=https://quinchas.cl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=403:manuel-farolito-fuentes&catid=9&Itemid=102}} Nicknamed "Farolito", he is considered one of the best riders in the history of Chilean rodeo.{{cite web|access-date=2021-04-15 |author=Revista del Campo de El Mercurio |date=2020-05-25 |title=The Champions of Champions |url=http://cache-elastic.emol.com/2020/05/25/C/3L3Q3S0J/all}}

Biography

Fuentes began as an employee of Hugo Cardemil, with whom he raced for many years. He was later loaned to the Santa Elba corral to race with Ramón Cardemil, Hugo's brother.

He raced with his partner Cardemil for eleven years, and also alongside prominent jockeys, retiring from the sport at an advanced age. During his career, he admired Ruperto Valderrama, whom he considered "The Pelé of the croissants." {{cite web|url=https://www.caballoyrodeo.cl/portal_rodeo/site/artic/20210708/pags/20210708095613.html|title=2006 Yearbook: Manuel Fuentes, the inexhaustible light of the "Farol"|access-date=April 29, 2025|author=Chilean Rodeo Federation|date=July 8, 2021}} During his life, he received several awards, such as the Sports Career Award presented by the rodeo federation during the 2025 National Rodeo Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.caballoyrodeo.cl/portal_rodeo/site/artic/20250411/pags/20250411020511.html|title=The Formal Welcome to the 76th National Rodeo Championship|access-date=April 29, 2025|author=Chilean Rodeo Federation|date=April 10, 2025}}

After leaving the Santa Elba stud, he went to Talca and rode for the Don Ignacio stud with José Díaz. He then went to Tomás García's Casas de El Milagro and also Alejandro Tornero's El Chubasco.{{cite web|url=https://anuarios.caballoyrodeo.cl/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2023/anuarios/2006-ANUARIO-RODEO/index.html#page=103|title=The inexhaustible light of the "Farol"|access-date=June 2, 2025|author=Chilean Rodeo Federation|date=2006}}

In August 2021, he was considered a Master Setter of the Huasa Equestrian School, in accordance with the regulations published by the National Sports Federation of Chilean Rodeo.{{cite web|url=https://m.caballoyrodeo.cl/portal_rodeo/site/artic/20210818/pags/20210818114210.html|title=The list of Master Setters of the Chilean Purebred Horse|access-date=April 20, 2025|author=Chilean National Rodeo Sports Federation|date=August 18, 2021}}

In 2025, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. He died on June 11, 2025, just a few days shy of his 85th birthday, and was honored by many Chilean huasos.{{cite web|url=https://m.caballoyrodeo.cl/portal_rodeo/site/artic/20250611/pags/20250611153524.html|title=Deep sorrow: Two-time Chilean champion Manuel "Farolito" Fuentes passes away|access-date=June 15, 2025|author=Chilean Rodeo Federation|date=June 11, 2025}} The religious ceremony took place at the La Torina church in Pichidegua, with Alfredo Moreno Echeverría, president of the Chilean Rodeo Federation, in attendance; and Alberto Cardemil, one of the owners of the Santa Elba Breeding Farm, where Fuentes won both titles alongside Ramón Cardemil. Members of the Cardenal Caro Rodeo Association and the Pichidegua Club, to which he belonged, also attended.{{cite web|url=https://diarioellabrador.cl/index.php/2025/06/14/el-mundo-corralero-brindo-carinosa-despedida-a-farolito-fuentes/|title=The corralero world bid a fond farewell to "Farolito" Fuentes|access-date=June 15, 2025|author=El Labrador|date=June 14, 2025}}

National championships

align=center cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="background: #F9F9F9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" width=50%

bgcolor=#DDDDDD style="color:black;"

!width="200"|Year

!width="230"|Team

!width="200"|Horses

!width="200"|Score

!width="75"|Association

align="center"

|1973

|Ramón Cardemil

|"Tabacón" and "Trampero"

|22

|Curicó

align="center" bgcolor="#EFEFEF"

|1981

|Ramón Cardemil

|"Bellaco" and "Rival"

|22

|Curicó

= Second championships =

1980: with Ramón Cardemil, riding "Bellaco" and "Rival" with 21 points.
1987: with Patricio Fresno, riding "Tranquilo" and "Campero" with 21 points.

= Third championships =

1973: with Ramón Cardemil, riding "Burlesca" and "Princesa" with 20 points.
1977: with Ramón Cardemil, riding "Bellaco" and "Rival" with 22 points.
1980: along with Ramón Cardemil, riding "Mensajero" and "Refuerzo" with 20 points.

References

External links

[https://m.caballoyrodeo.cl/portal_rodeo/site/artic/20250612/pags/20250612000433.html A review of the successful corralera life of Manuel "Farolito" Fuentes]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FVY0DiTCMo Interview with Manuel "Farolito" Fuentes with Pía Guzmán] YouTube video.

Category:1940 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:Rodeo champions

Category:Chilean sportsmen