The origins of the California vaquero date back to the 1770’s. Yet, those roots continue today in the dedicated pursuit of this unique style’s working cowboys. The culture grew from a time when the cowboy lived his life mainly from the back of a horse while caring for thousands of cattle and the rugged terrain necessitated lightning quick responses from both the man and the horse, meaning the difference of life and death. Every maneuver was designed to do a job and the well trained horses responded to the most imperceptible cues. The horses were trained from the hackamore through two rein and finally into the spade bit producing a perfectly balanced “straight up in the bridle” partner.

The extreme realities associated with the land and the livestock, however, were also refined into a graceful and engaging art. Roping with the greatest of beauty and skill, the vaquero coupled this expertise with a riding style that complimented the natural movements of the horse and his gear was a mirror of his pride and talents. As a result, the vaquero, past and present, has captured the attention of preeminent western artists over the last several hundreds of years.

Generational secrets of “natural horsemanship”, long before that phrase became part of contemporary equine culture, were passed onto those of the present- the masters and artisans- that continue these timeless traditions today.

“The Legacy of the California Vaquero” began production of its stunning and immersive high definition feature length documentary in October 2007 with further production shoots occurring in 2008.

EISF is honored to preserve the legacy of these living legends, the working cowboys and vaqueros of today, along with those who blazed the trails in the past of these rich Californian traditions.