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 video, and this weekend they want to share a taste of the old days with the rest of the Central Coast.
On Saturday, they will preview their latest documentary on the vaquero and the people who continue to practice the 300-year-old tradition of the California cowboy.
“Tapadero” is the name of the 80-minute film that will be shown at 6 p.m. at the Santa Margarita Ranch. The public is invited to enjoy the documentary and mingle with other history buffs and horse lovers at the free event.
“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 doc umentary. 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.”