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| Newspaper Reviews of the DVD "TAPADERO" Read what the California Press says about the newly released DVD. |
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| Monterey Herald November 15, 2005 Film Captures Essence of California Cowboys By Marc Cabrera, Herald Staff Writer The cowboy image is often portrayed in movies as the rowdy red-stater who's quick to prove himself in any arena, whether it be roping, riding or rebel rousing. But in the new documentary "Tapadero," the stories and traditions of the California vaqueros, or cowboys, are presented in earnest by framing the "Californios" as humble, hardworking ranch owners and hands who have carried on the traditions of Spanish settlers in 1800s California for generations in an almost sacred exchange. Filmakers Susan Jensen and Paul Singer, a Santa Barbara-based couple, produced and directed the documentary. The film was born out of the pair's fondness for riding, which led to their discovery of the vaqueros, a distinct brand of cowboy when compared to those in other Western and Southwest states, such as Texas and Utah. "Texas cowboy culture was different because it revolved around the Anglo-Saxon approach of getting things done," said Singer. "In California, the old Spanish tradition is, getting it done is not enough. You have to do it with style." In the documentary, the sight of mostly white cowboys using methods and tools designed by Mexican and Spanish ranch hands gives the viewer an understanding of the appreciation modern California cowboys have for their brown-skinned forbearers. The film's name is taken from the leather stirrup cover that protects the cowboy's boots from brush and thorns. In the film, it is explained that the "tapaderos" are highly sought after by Californios who were willing to trade just about anything, including their women, in an even exchange. The film talks at great length about the history of the California missions, which doubled as ranches where the original vaqueros grew crops, raised livestock and first developed their technique and skill. "A lot of people are not totally aware of the history," Singer said. "Everyone thinks of the missions and the development of the missions, but few people know how they sustained them... was through the ranchos." Nearly 150 years after the first vaqueros settled along the coast, the traditions have remained and, according to the film, are experiencing somewhat of a resurgence due to a new generation of college-educated cowboys. "There's a revival of these vaquero traditions. Many of the young cowboys are college graduates, so they're studying the old ways and applying it today," Singer said. Among the other Mexican and Spanish innovations that have been carried on by today's Californios are the use of the reata rope, a 100-foot rope made of hand-braided rawhide. Taking a whole cowhide and stretching it out tight between hangers before it is cut into spirals, the process is tedious, but also the most effective. A well-made reata rope can last a lifetime, and it is being used by today's younger cowboys who are learning about the traditions at colleges such as California Polytechnic Institute at San Luis Obispo, Jensen said. Even the horses that were bred for riding by the original Californios, called Spanish Barb horses, are presented in the film. Of local significance is the story of the Dorrance Ranch near Mount Toro outside of Salinas. The legend of Bill Dorrance, the original owner of the ranch who died in 1999, closes out the documentary. Dorrance was a key figure in the preservation of the vaquero tradition of "feeling the horse," and his method of "seeing things through the horses' eyes" was noted by almost all of the cowboys interviewed in the film. "They were not big marketers of their system, but they were extremely well known through the horse industry," said Jensen. Dorrance was a quiet-natured man by all accounts, which was also in tune with the California vaqueros known for their laid-back demeanor and attention to detail. It is that ideal that resonates throughout the film, and helps develop a new perspective for viewers. "They're quiet and humble and laid back and more involved with horses than tooting their own horn," Jensen said of the modern day vaqueros. "They're just very respectful of people and their traditions, and that's what makes them so special." |
The San Luis Obispo Tribune October 21, 2005 Doing it the Vaquero Way in Santa Margarita By Diane D. Urbani "Soft hands," not something you'd expect those riding horseback and running cattle all day to want. But soft hands -- gentle on reins and the rope -- are a sign of both skill and art with animals. They're the essence of what's known as the vaquero method of horsemanship and the subject of "Tapadero," an 80-minute documentary film premiering Saturday at the Santa Margarita Ranch's original stone structure. Paul Singer and Susan Jensen, filmmakers from Santa Barbara, became interested in Santa Margarita and other California ranches when they made "Vaquero," a documentary that was televised locally in 2003. As they learned more about cowboy culture, they discovered that today's horsemen are taking a keen interest in the centuries-old training practice known as the vaquero way. It starts with the hackamore, a bitless bridle worn in a horse's first phase of training. During this period the rider and mount learn to communicate with each other without the use of force, and without the metal bit that is rough on a young horse's ultrasensitive mouth. Subtle body cues are exchanged as horse and human progress together. "The hackamore is a training device for the people," said Gwynn Turnbull Weaver, a horsewoman in "Tapadero." The original vaqueros developed their ways during the 1800s, as California was becoming an expanse of cattle ranches that supported the missions. The Californios, as those cowboys were called, had two things that enabled them to cultivate techniques that would serve them well: space and time. California was so isolated that nobody was going to stop by and push for the old way of doing things. And the vaqueros were in no hurry. Rushing never worked with animals, as Dave Weaver, another "Tapadero" cowboy, has found. "Horses and cows don't wear watches. We work for them," he says. Out on the "sagebrush sea," as it's called in the film, a man and his horse can roam across unbounded time. Both benefit from the "soft hands" way, since neither gets worn out by rough rein- and bit-pulling. Even amid the elements -- sandpaper wind, blazing sun -- the vaquero technique can keep a horse feeling fluid as silk. With cattle, vaqueros use long rawhide reata ropes and a lassoing technique called the figure 8. It encircles the animal's neck as well as the front legs and does the work of two men. "The reata enables the cowboy to handle the cattle more gently, and it requires a lot more skill," said Singer. Today the art of vaquero-style roping and riding attracts a new breed of Westerners, said Jensen, who with Singer is talking with cable companies and Public Broadcasting System outlets about airing the documentary early next year. "There's been a whole group of young people from Cal Poly who are using the vaquero method," she said. "People of all ages are getting into horses and looking for a healthy, safe relationship with them." Cal Poly alumni such as Santa Margarita Ranch's Aaron Lazanoff, Jeff McKee and Alie Reilly, and Ronald Reagan Ranch manager Wil Bernhardt practice vaquero methods, according to the film. "Tapadero" also notes that "buckaroo" is the Anglicized version of vaquero. The modern buckaroo, Jensen said, is conscious not only of artful technique but also of style. Those aren't bandannas around their necks; they're called "wild rags," knotted just so. The flat-brim hat is cocked at a rakish angle and the fringed armitas chaps complete the statement. "They always look fabulous," Jensen said. She chose the film's title because tapaderos, the long, pointed stirrup covers, signify the buckaroo style. "They protect the foot in brushy country, and they add some flash." Yet the art and culture of cattle ranching are practically unknown to the urban and coastal residents of San Luis Obispo County, Jensen observed. With "Tapadero," she and Singer hope to acquaint them with vaquero life. |
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Arroyo Grande Times Press Recorder October 21, 2005 ‘Tapadero’ Examines Life of California’s Historical Vaqueros By Karin Driesen / Staff Writer / Horses and ranches, cattle and cowboys, old adobe missions and Mexico. They all contributed to California history, and they continue to fascinate many of us who live here. It was that fascination that prompted Santa Barbara filmmaking couple Paul Singer and Susan Jensen to capture the enduring legacy of those historical institutions on DVD. “Tapadero” is their latest documentary on the vaquero and the people who continue to practice the 300-year-old tradition of the California cowboy. “As filmmakers, it’s always better when it’s a labor of love,” said Singer. “We have two horses and a mule, and I ride every chance I get. The first thing I ever drew was a cowboy on a horse.” Jensen said although she enjoys the animals, too, her main interest is history and filmmaking. “So we found a perfect combination,” she said. The word “tapadero” means a stirrup cover. The filmmakers used it to symbolize the unique style and nature of the ranchers and cowboys who roamed the state over the last few centuries. “This style evolved in California, and it represents the stylish nature of the buckaroo — he always wants to look his best,” said Singer. |
According to the documentary, the buckaroo is an Americanization of the vaquero, the cowboy that originated in Mexico. Today, there are vaqueros and buckaroos in California who still work in the old style and tradition of their predecessors. In fact, it seems there is a growing trend to reintroduce those traditions, the filmmakers say. “There’s a whole revival of this vaquero style of training,” said Jensen. One ranch where that tradition still thrives is Santa Margarita Ranch, the oldest continually run land grant ranch in the state. Under the guidance of Kathy Loftus and ranch manager Aaron Lazanoff, they still raise and tend cattle the way the old vaqueros did 300 years ago. “People have no idea how much activity goes on down there when they’re driving by on the freeway,” said Jensen. The ranch is one of several Central Coast locations featured in the documentary. The Reagan Ranch in the Santa Ynez Mountains, the Cojo Jalama along the Pacific Ocean near Lompoc and the Dorrance Ranch near Salinas all get their share of the spotlight. The film also features music by California songwriters, including Nipomo’s Dave Stamey. His “Vaquero Song” is sung by Christina Ortega during the opening shots of the documentary. Overall, the documentary could appeal to a wide variety of people, not just horse lovers and history buffs. The beautiful California scenery and down-to-earth interviews with real cowboys are a natural draw for many who want to escape the fast pace of reality for 80 minutes. “In the age of technology, there’s a desire to get back to what’s simple,” said Singer. “I think that’s a lot of the appeal here.” |
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