MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, Columbia Basin Allied Art and Northwest Pro Wrestling hosted the Lucha and Lowriders Wrestling show at the Youth Dynamics building. It was the UMANI festival’s second time hosting the wrestling show. CBAA Executive Director Shawn Cardwell called Saturday’s event a dream.

“I thought the crowd was amazing,” Cardwell said. “We had papas bringing their daughters and grandchildren. It’s a dream for any presenter to have a crowd like that, to work with performers like that, and to be hosted by venues like (Youth Dynamics). It was so good all around.”

This year’s show was held indoors, unlike last year when it was held outside on Division Street, Cardwell said. Holding the event indoors made it more family-friendly, she said. Fans packed in front of the event space. Ahead of them on the basketball court was a ring with a blue mat, ropes taped yellow, white and blue, and a black curtain lining the outside of the ring.

NWP owner, promoter and professional wrestler JD Mason the experience of the UMANI festival is what keeps bringing them back to host shows.

“The festival is a lot of fun,” Mason said. “We love seeing all the cars. It’s just way too much fun to describe other than people need to get out here and check it out.”

The Lucha and Lowriders concept began six years ago when Paul Carney held his grand opening for EDUBS C/S. The inspiration for his shop name and love for professional wrestling is tied to his late brother Eric “E DUBB” Krueger.

“My nephews used to go to these shows all the time, and it would upset them to see all the lowriders but not have their dad around. I added wrestling as a combo to it, because I thought, ‘Hey, if we go to another lowrider show, if they get sad, I could send them to watch wrestling and cheer them up,” Carney said.

Carney said the proceeds from the events go to a Hispanic Heritage scholarship fund to support local youth.

“Anything I can do to help a kid out of trouble or decide he wants to put in some energy into something positive instead of something negative, that’s what the scene’s about. We’re about helping kids and letting them express themselves in other artistic ways, other than hanging out in the streets and causing problems,” he said.

Unlike the WWE, shows like NWP are called independent professional wrestling, or Indy shows. Instead of an arena of thousands, it’s often small, intimate venues like gyms or event spaces like Youth Dynamics where these shows are held.

Mason said to think of independent wrestling as the minor leagues for professional wrestling.

“It’s definitely more immersive. You’re right here, you’re right in the action, you’re up close, 20, 30, 40 feet away from the ring, whereas at the big shows, you’re hundreds of feet away from the wrestlers,” he said.

Fans attending Saturday’s show got the same experience. Throughout the evening, they would cheer or boo and be met with a direct response from one of the wrestlers. Many of them would end up battling in the crowd briefly during their matches.

In the evening show, viewers were treated to four matches. Each match brought its own components of combat, comedy and theatrics that energized the Moses Lake crowd.

To open the show, LumberZack faced off with Paul Anthony. Zack fed off the crowd while Anthony looked to antagonize them with his pro-Canada gimmick.

Their back-and-forth combat spilled to the outside of the ring where Zack would find assistance from a young fan. He would hold Anthony up while the young fans punched him in the chest. Shortly after, Zack slammed Anthony to the mat and secured the pinfall victory.

Over the next two matches, fans were treated to lucha libre wrestling. In the world of professional wrestling, lucha libre is a style of Mexican wrestling that is known for vibrant characters and high-flying acrobatic moves.

Wrestlers in this style are known as luchadores. They participate in a long tradition of wearing a mask while performing. The identity of these performers is often unknown to the public and losing their mask in a match is treated as a big deal.

A luchador known as Halcón Negro, which means Black Hawk, has been wrestling for 10 years. On Saturday, he became the first-ever Lucha Libre and Lowriders Champion after defeating former WWE wrestler Brian Kendrick.

“It is just amazing, you really can’t explain it, and especially the event that we had here today, getting to wrestle against amazing wrestlers,” he said. “I’m a third-generation American, and for me, it’s a great way to connect with my culture.”

With the recent success of the wrestling shows at UMANI, Cardwell has not ruled out the possibility of bringing it back next year. However, she said a community advisory committee of people who plan the events for the festival tries to switch up their attractions every year.

Cardwell said they are looking for more people to fill out their committee. For anyone interested in joining the committee and helping plan for future UMANI festivals, they can reach out to Cardwell via email at [email protected].

    Paul Anthony, left, and LumberZack, right, battle in the crowd during their match at the Luch and Lowriders Wrestling show. This was the second year the wrestling event was held at the UMANI Festival.
  

    The crowd for the Lucha and Lowriders wrestling show at the UMANI Festival cheer on the wrestlers performing in the ring. Columbia Basin Allied Arts Executive Director Shawn Cardwell said the atmosphere was like a dream.
  

    A luchador soars through the air and collides with his competitor at the Lucha and Lowriders wrestling show. Paul Carney said he started including wrestling as a part of his lowrider events to honor his brother.
  

    Halcón Negro, right, slaps his opponent Brian Kendrick, left, on the chest during their match for the Lucha and Lowriders Championship.
  

    A luchador stands over his opponent and taunts the crowd at the Lucha and Lowriders wrestling show.
  

    JD Mason, purple, hoists his opponent in the air to slam him. Mason is the owner and promoter of Northwest Pro Wrestling which co-hosted the Lucha and Lowriders wrestling show at the UMANI Festival.
  

    Two luchadores trade body shots in the crowd at the Lucha and Lowriders wrestling show.