Tio Cowboy

by Palacios, Ricardo D.

• ISBN13: 9781603440790
• ISBN10: 1603440798
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-08-30
• Publisher: Texas A & M Univ Pr

Summary

One of the best tie-down calf ropers ever to come out of South Texas, Juan Salinas grew up on a 15,000-acre ranch near Laredo, with the finest of horses to ride and hundreds of head of cattle to practice on. He roped in Texas rodeos large and small from the mid-1920s to 1935. From 1936 to 1946, he followed the national rodeo circuit, competing from Texas to New York's Madison Square Garden. At the time, few if any other Mexican Americans competed in rodeo, and Salinas drew a lot of attention. Salinas also operated his family's Texas ranch, where he ran cattle and raised prize roping quarter horses. In this account of his life and career, Salinas's nephew, Ricardo Palacios, recounts the many tales his uncle told him--tales of friendship with Gene Autry, going to Sally Rand's wedding reception, riding on the Rodeo Train, and sponsoring seven-time world champion tie-down calf roper Toots Mansfield. He also narrates life on the range, with his uncle riding across a pasture at full speed, gingerly holding the reins and a thirty-five foot coil of rope in his left hand while swinging the roping loop overhead with his right hand as he chased a three-hundred-pound calf for the throw. The story of Juan Salinas is also the story of the people of Mexican origin who live on the ranches of the South Texas brush country. Strong, rugged, independent, and hard-working, they knew social and economic success that has all too seldom been chronicled. Tio Juan was the family cowboy, the hero, the rodeo star, and Palacios tells his uncle's story with warmth and admiration. In 1991 Salinas was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. He was also named Rancher of the Year by Laredo's Borderfest and won the Ranching Heritage Award given by the King Ranch and Texas A&M-Kingsville. In 1993, he was inducted into the LULAC International Sports Hall of Fame. These were, Palacios writes, "fitting tributes to a champion and fine additions to his collection of trophy roping saddles, silver trophies, and champion's buckles."

Author Biography

Ricardo Palacios is an attorney and rancher living in Encinal, Texas. This is his first book

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Webb County, Texas	p. 1
The Antonio Salinas Family of Webb County, Texas	p. 7
Life on the Rancho Las Blancas	p. 27
The Move to Encinal	p. 40
Young Juan Takes Over and the Roping Starts in Earnest	p. 49
Juan Goes on the National Circuit	p. 63
Circuit Experiences	p. 78
Anthony Salinas Destined to Be World Champion Calf Roper	p. 98
World War II Adjustments	p. 103
After Ten Years, the Party's Over	p. 107
Settling a Score at the Salinas Ranch	p. 116
Leading a Cattleman's Life	p. 121
A Real True Friend	p. 128
Employees, Good and Bad	p. 135
Accolades and Kudos	p. 153
The Last Years, Travels with Juan	p. 161
The End and the Almost-Fight	p. 182
Index	p. 187
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