El Vaquero de Fort Davis – a 2012 Deep West Video by Julie Gallego Frietas

Julie Gallego Frietas made this 2012 Deep West Video about her uncle, Charlie Rodriguez, whose style of cowboying is in the Mexican vaquero tradition. Charlie has been competing in rodeos since he was a young boy, and continues to do so in his 80s.

Julie Gallego Frietas:
This is my uncle. Charlie Rodriguez.

And that's his horse Lucky.

My uncle Charlie has won
all around cowboy at the Fortuna Rodeo

more times than he can remember.

In fact, he won three
consecutive years in the 1990s.

Charlie's won buckles for calf roping,

calf branding, team roping,

team pinning, wild cow milking
and steer wrestling.

(Music)

(Music ends)

Charlie was born
into the vaquero tradition

in Fort Davis, Texas.

This is a style of horsemanship

based on respect and communication
between a horse and rider.

Now, everyone knows that cattle
were not indigenous to America.

It is rumored that in 1521

a Spanish sea captain,

Gregorio Villalobos

set sail for Veracruz, Mexico,

with six cows and a bull.

Along with the introduction of the cow,

the Spanish also introduced
vaquero working skills.

Which were further developed in Mexico

and became the foundation
for the cattle ranching culture in Texas.

Which brings us to the place
where Charlie got his start -

the Kokernot 06 Ranch.

Charlie Rodriguez: My grandfather
worked for the 06 for 45 years.

He was the main boss.

We were at Leoncito, working for my dad.

And I started riding horses

when I was probably
around six, seven years old.

My brother and I would go
to the coral and rope

the milk cow's calves

and ride them -
put the rope and ride them.

We wanted to be cowboys.
(Laughter)

JGF: The skills Charlie was acquiring
to manage cattle and horses

would later help him to compete in rodeos.

CR: We were marking lambs,

he used to tell us,

"Leave 10 or 12 lambs outside."

And talk about fun!

I had four -

[unclear], horses,

and they were good, they just
followed a lamb like a dog, you know.

Then we had those little maguey ropes

and we'd just rope them,

put one lamb in front of your saddle

and rope another one

and then get two and take them
to the coral and then go rope some more.

JGF: Rodeo is a Spanish word

that referred to the semi-annual
round up of cattle

born from the Mexican ranching tradition.

CR: I must have been 16, 17
the first time I went on a round-up.

When they started the round-up,

they would call to see
who was going to go.

They would come to town and ask you
if you wanted to go to the round-up

for 40-45 days.

If you said yes,

they would tell you what day
they were going to pick you up.

So you had to roll your bed,
get ready, your saddle,

and they would come
in a truck and pick you up.

By the time they would start
gathering the round-up

and getting close
to where the camp was going to be,

they had lunch for us, coffee,

we changed horses,

till you started sorting,
you kept the best horses to sort cattle.

You saved the best horses
for the [unclear].

You ride the broncs in the morning.

JGF: My uncle says that on the 06 Ranch

you could ride on horseback
from dawn to dusk

and never see a fence.

He started working in the first grade
to help support the family.

And had dreams of buying the perfect
horse to take him to the main event.

He learned quickly
that if you didn't have a good horse

there was no use in showing up.

CR: They had this rodeo in Fort Davis

there were college boys,
and I'm working on ranches,

we used to rope a lot of baby calves.

I had a rope in my hand,
and this guy, who used to go to Sul Ross

he says, "What are you
going to do with that rope, Charlie?"

So I told him, "I'm going to beat you guys
in the calf roping tomorrow."

He had a nice calf horse and I used him

so when I turned the rope
to this calf and flagged him, tied him.

And won the calf roping.

With that raggedy rope.

(Music)

(Music ends)

JGF: Charlie says that helping
youth learn skills

is a source of pride and inspiration.

Maybe not so much
for his grandson, Andrew,

but for other local champs
like Billy Bugenig, it just might be.

Billy Bugenig: I worked with him
on some ranches when I was growing up

and he taught me a lot,

he always knew the way
the cattle were going to move.

I learned a lot by watching him.

Spencer Mitchell: I met Charlie
at a really young age

when I was just learning how to rope.

You knew, every time you went
and roped with Charlie, you could win.

BB: I started team roping and stuff
when I got into high school

he was always there to help
and was someone I looked up to.

Because he knew how to do everything.

SM: And I always enjoyed

and still to this day
would rope with Charlie any time,

riding where he wanted to.

CR: Those kids, I tell you.

They're good.

(Music)

[Dedicated to the memory of
Ella Galleo Rodriguez]

[Anyone want to sponsor my Uncle Charlie?]

[He's 83 and still chasing
his rodeo dream!]

BB: Yeah, he should still
have a good shot,

he always was able to catch some.