Bill Dorrance's life long interests in horsemanship, ranch roping, and rawhide braiding were the core for the book True Horsemanship Through Feel, co-authored with Leslie Desmond, and the video Four Strands of Rawhide the Making of a Reata with Randy Rieman. 
 

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Mt. Toro Corrals 1995

Having been raised in a family ranching operation in Oregon, horses and cattle occupied his thinking time. His last 50 years were spent on the Mt. Toro Ranch out of Salinas, California. Many people stopped by through out the years to visit about horses, ranch roping, and rawhiding. Whether it was for an afternoon, a few days, or a few months he always enjoyed the visits and made sure he got some work out of the able bodied. In later years he walked with a cane, but always sat up straight when horseback.

Rana Creek Ranch Carmel Valley 1986

Quite an accurate roper he enjoyed branding calves, and was always looking for an easier way on the horses and cattle. Along with Joe Wolter they gave ranch roping schools "To help people handle cattle and their horses better along with improving their roping" as Bill put it. He rode in the vaquero tradition of the California horseman. A well bridled horse, a long rawhide reata, and lots of time with the cattle. He rode, roped and rawhided up until age 92.  You are invited to visit the Joe Wolter website at:   www.JoeWolter.com
 

Bill on Diamond
Bloomquist Ranch Carmel Valley

copyright 2006 Steven and Leslie Dorrance