event and just not a part of a Wild West Show
performance. Ropers from all over the world
came to compete. It was won by Vicente
Oropeza, who was then given the title of
the first World Champion Trick and Fancy
Roper. Trick and fancy roping soon became
a standard event at Rodeos and Wild West
Shows and many men, Will Rogers included,
not only followed in Oropeza’s footsteps, but
looked up to him as a legend. He could make
a rope “talk” with style and grace. What he did
soon became the benchmark to shoot for in
this event.
there are volumes of research written in the
Spanish language about Oropeza and his
accomplishment both in the United States
and Mexico. According to a Spanish website
dedicated to the history of the Charro, “Un
grupo de 12 Charros capitaneados por Vicente
Oropeza que salieron por primera vez a Nueva
York. A Vicente Oropeza los norteamericanos
le dieron el calificativo de Campeón de Lazo en
el mundo.” (Basically saying that Vicente led
a group of twelve Charros to New York where
the North Americans gave Vicente the title of
World Champion Roper.)
During the sixteen years Oropeza spent
with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, he was
usually headlined as “The Premier Charro
Mexicano of the World!” He was described as
a very charismatic showman (even rivaling
Cody himself).
At the time of his retirement, he was definitely
regarded as the finest trick roper in the world.
He retired to his ranch at Puebla, where
he died in 1923. In 1975, the first World
Champion Trick or Fancy Roper of the World
was posthumously inducted into the National
Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Hall
of Fame.
In Mexico, Vicente is a hero as well.
Regarded as one of the legendary Charros,
AZintheSaddle.com
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