Arizona in the Saddle | Page 46

Vicente Oropeza

First World Champion Trick Roper
By Jim Olson, ©2015, www.TotallyWestern.com

T

he first recognized champion of the world
in the “Trick and Fancy Roping” event
belonged to Vicente Oropeza (sometimes
spelled as Vincente Oropeso) of Puebla,
Mexico. The year was 1900.
It has long been
accepted that the
American Cowboy
first learned his
trade from the
Mexican Vaquero.
The Vaquero had
been “cowboying”
in what is now the
American Southwest
and Northern Mexico
since the 1500s. From
gear, techniques, and
language, to cowboy
sporting events,
origins can be traced
back to the Vaquero,
in one form or
another. Trick roping
is no exception.

his book. He would also entertain and show
off with his “Floreada de reata” skills (basically
rope tricks, literally translated it is to make
flower designs with a reata). Vicente soon
mastered this skill.
In his younger days Oropeza
toured Mexico with Ponciano
Diaz, a famous Bull Fighter who
also put on shows. It was during
one of these shows he made
contact with Buffalo Bill Cody
who then invited Vicente and
several other Charro performers
to preform in Buffalo Bill’s Wild
West. That was in 1893 (some
sources claim 1894).
In an article about Will Rogers,
written by Jesse Mullins for
American Cowboy Magazine,

At an early age, he learned the basics of
heading and heeling cattle and catching horses
with his reata (rope). The next challenge
was to learn to do it with style. The old-time
Vaquero would commonly incorporate trick
roping into the every day task of roping
livestock. Doing it this way took more skill in
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April 2015

Will Rogers has been quoted many times as
giving Oropeza credit for inspiring his trick
roping. On several occasions, he also credits
Vicente