JIM
DORRANCE (1900-1990)
Jim
was born in August of 1900 at Crow Creek, near Joseph, Oregon. He
was the oldest of eight children. He grew up on the Crow Creek Ranch,
doing things a boy would do helping with the purebred and commercial
cattle operation; haying, breaking colts, both saddle horses and
work horses. He never seemed to have fear of any horse, regardless
of how rough the country was, and horses never seemed to be worried
about him. He looked real nice on a horse, even a bucking horse;
not many got out from under him.
In 1927 Jim bought a place of his own on the Snake River. He &
his wife had two children, Jimmy and Phyllis born there. In 1942
he moved south to Riddle, Idaho. But Jim had always wanted to go
to Nevada, so in 1944 he got a job on the Mary’s River Ranch
out of Deeth, Nevada for Bill Wright and later for the Seven S Marble
Brothers at Deeth. He was cow boss until 1958, running several thousand
head of cattle. A good part of the year was spent out with the wagon,
many buckaroos, and a sizable remuda, keeping the calves branded,
doctored and moved as needed.
Jim’s highlight of the year was the Elko, Nevada Fair during
Labor Day weekend where he always took a horse to show and caught
up on the latest from his many friends and acquaintances.
Although somewhat retired, Jim needed something to do. In 1960 he
went to Battle Mountain, Nevada to work for John and Tom Marvel
on the 25 Ranch where he made himself useful with the horses and
cattle. About the same time his brother Tom sold out in Oregon,
and they both worked for the 25.
In later years Jim spent time with his brother Bill on his Salinas,
California ranch. Bill was famous for his rawhide braiding. There,
Jim worked with both of his brothers Bill and Tom with horses. Like
traditional Vaqueros, the Dorrance brothers used cattle to work
their horses (as opposed to using their horses to work cattle.)
Tom developed his horse handling methods & training techniques
to the degree that he became noticed. Ray Hunt, and later Buck Brannaman,
and many others worked with the Dorrances, and continue that great
tradition of horse handling. Many world-renowned horsemen and clinicians
consider Tom Dorrance as the man whose philosophy on horses revolutionized
western horsemanship. The Dorrance brothers brought many of the
highest art concepts of old time Vaquero horse handling methods
to the forefront of fine horsemanship today.
Jim Dorrance spent his last years with his daughter Phyllis at Enterprise,
Oregon. He passed away at the age of 90.
Jim Dorrance was inducted into the Buckaroo Hall of Fame in September
1999.
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