Vaquero History Lesson

     Historically, the vaquero arrived in what is now the far western United States in the 1700s.  Vaqueros thrived in the cattle country of California and its adjacent territories during the Spanish Colonial time period.  After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, when Mexico by treaty ceded its former territories above the Rio Grande River to the United States (and never again claimed ownership of Texas, which had sparked the war), American settlers moved into the area. California's geography and climate, along with the pre-existing cattle culture from the Spanish tradition, continued the practice of intensive cattle grazing in lush areas. This was a very different situation than the massive ranging of cattle that was necessary to feed herds in the Texas region.
      The terms "vaquero," "buckaroo" and "Californio" might be new or confusing to some people.   Vaquero-style horseman, Richard Caldwell, demystifies their meaning in this way:  A lot of the difference depends on the region that one rides as to whether or not  they refer  to themselves as a cowboy, buckaroo or vaquero.
     "A cowboy refers more, for instance, to the rodeo style of cowboy," Richard said.  "Their style usually includes shorter synthetic ropes tied on hard and fast, or rubber on the horn. Their gear usually consists of split reins connected to grazing bits and swell-forked saddles. The style of the cowboy developed mainly because of the terrain in which they had to work. It was very rough country that did not invite the use of longer ropes. 
       Cowboys could mainly be found inTexas and surrounding areas. They had a very fast style of roping that later developed into what we now see in the rodeo event of timed heading and heeling. 
      "The vaquero was the original from Spain down to Mexico and up through California.  It was there that the vaquero became better known as the buckaroo or californio.  They used longer ropes (60-plus feet) made from rawhide.  Their saddles were slick-forked, and they used spanish-style spade bits.  Their style was characterized by a slower method of roping from a distance and also letting the rope run.  Their slick horn allowed them to run rope so they took the 'jerk' off of the horse and cattle.'"  
     To read more about Richard's vaquero-style horsemanship, go to this websites publications page.