Bolas Criollas
Bolas Criollas is a traditional Venezuelan team sport which popular in Llanos and other rural regions. The sport has its roots from traditional European games like bocce and pétanque, and has similar objective, which is to throw a set of balls as close as possible to the small target ball.
The sport is played in a rectangular field of size 20 x 30m. Field sizes varies, but the 2:3 ratio should be maintained. The surface should be flat and without obstacles to aid easy movement of the balls. The solid balls, about 15cm in diameter, are colored red green, one set for each team. The small target ball (mingo) is made of steel or iron and is less than 5cm in diameter.
A game is played between two teams where one set of colored balls are assigned to a team. A team that wins the coin toss, starts the first round, after which the teams alternate to start the subsequent rounds.
BoulesThe team that starts has to first throw the mingo on to the field. Then players from both teams take turns to throw the big balls closer to the mingo. One point is awarded to the team for each ball closer to the mingo than the other teams closest ball. The team to first score 100 points is declared as the winner.
Similar Sports
- Pétanque — a type of boules in which the objective is to throw hollow metal balls towards a small wooden target ball.
- Jeu Provençal — a popular French form of Boules, where the objective is to throw a set of hollow metal balls as close as possible to a target ball.
- Bocce — is part of the boules sport family, similar to bowls and pétanque.
- Toros Coleados— another sport from Venezuela involving chasing down a bull while riding on horseback (also called Bull-Tailing).
Related Pages
- List of Boules-type sports
- Sport in Venezuela
- About Bowling Sports
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports
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