07/22/08 Vaquero history

When we look back on the history of horsemanship both out west and Texas we often forget the major influence California cowboys had on creating many of our riding traditions, equipment and vocabulary. I'm Jeff Keane, stay tuned and I will be back after a quick commercial break with some insight into the history of the vaquero. The heyday of the great California ranches spawned the vaquero style of riding that that is being revived by great horsemen today. Here is Susan Allen to fill us in. Jeff the skills of the typical vaquero's, the cowboys that worked on the great California ranches predominantly located along the Kings Highway known as El Camino Real, (today HWY 101 but back then a trail that stretched from San Diego to San Francisco,) were very different from the roping we see at today's rodeo's . Unlike in team or tie down roping an accomplished vaquero knew up to 50 different ways of placing a loop over a cow, and considered rope delivery an art form. Vaquero equipment plaited from leather and horse hair were prized commodities as well. Leather Riatas, romal reins and the "jaquima" or hackmore, even our words ranch, rodeo and remuda all trace back to the California ranching history. And Susan our events like working cow horse and hackamore and snaffle bit competitions reward great horseman who have utilized old vaquero techniques to create a degree of lightness and response that turns horsemanship into an art as well. I'm Jeff Keane.