Long before the colorful pageantry and the magnificent stallions and matadors take center stage at the Denver Coliseum, Gerardo “Jerry” Diaz has already invested thousands of miles and hundreds of hours to bring his spectacular Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza back to the National Western Stock Show.

Diaz is a fourth-generation Mexican horseman, or Charro, and along with his bride Staci and 21-year-old son Nicolas, is among the biggest and longest-running producers of Mexican Rodeo Shows in North America.

“This is the 30th year for the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza at the Stock Show, but it’s my 40th year performing in Denver,” said Diaz, a lifetime member of the National Western Stock Show, which features his productions.

With his mastery of horses and uncanny ability with a rope, Diaz’s performances weave history into traditional music, dress, and pageantry that not only entertain but preserve the importance of Mexican culture and its rich Charro traditions.

And the fans love it.

“Our ticket sales for Hispanic Heritage Day and the Mexican Rodeo are higher than they’ve ever been in history,” Paul Andrews, president and CEO of the National Western Stock Show told The Denver Gazette a week before the stock show kicked off.

On average, Diaz said it takes close to 300 people to bring the rodeo to life — many of them from the local area.

“I feel very honored and very blessed to see how it’s grown in popularity here in Denver,” Diaz said. “There’s a lot of talent now, and when I first started here, I was bringing talent from other states, and now the show consists of 75% of pretty much local talent.”

The logistics required for each show — organizing the clothes, the animals, the lighting and the pyro— take far more time than the 150-minute bilingual performance.

“The logistics are never ending,” he said.

But for Diaz, a devout man of faith, this is far more than just another job in show business.

It’s his passion.

It’s his calling.

Carrying on a 150-year tradition in Charro horsemanship that originated with his great-grandfather, the soft-spoken San Antonio native describes his life on the road as a family affair — in the most literal sense.

His wife, Staci Anderson Diaz, is a third-generation horsewoman known for her Roman riding and dancing horses.

“I remember my son Nicolas in the backseat, a little infant, you know, and I have the (steering) wheel in my hand and my wife next to me and going from one show to the next,” Diaz said. “You gotta have a passion for it, and drive and a lot of faith and a lot of love in your heart, because without it ain’t gonna happen.”

Diaz reminisced about his son’s formal debut in the family business some 21 years ago, when he carried him in his arms into a packed arena while riding a horse.

Nicolas is now an integral part of the show, handling logistics as well as performing regularly, and is an accomplished equine photographer and breeder of Andalusian horses.

Diaz admits he has seen a lot of changes in Denver over the years, and change is simply a part of life.

And just as traditions have passed from Diaz’s father to him, he’s passing them on to Nicolas.

“He’s very good with logistics, and he’s a great performer,” said Dias of his son. “He works hard, but I continue to be the firm dad that I’ve always been, like my dad was with me, but I do it with pride and honor.”

Diaz said respect and discipline are important.

“Most of all, you gotta have a lot of faith in yourself and a lot of faith in our Lord,” he said. “It’s not like you’re putting the icing on a cake; it starts with the ingredients.”

Although things seem to move a little faster in the arena, as well as in the world, Diaz isn’t worried.

“It all comes down to a horse is a horse and a rope is a rope, and that never changes,” he said. “It’s still there, and takes a special man to be behind it.”

The Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza is at 2 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Denver Coliseum, 4600 N. Humboldt St., Denver. For more information about the National Western Stock show, schedules and tickets visit nationalwestern.com.