The vaquero (Spanish: [baˈkeɾo]; Portuguese: vaqueiro, European Portuguese: [vɐˈkɐjɾu]) is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in what is today Mexico (then New Spain) from a method brought to the Americas from Spain. Hundreds of years before there was the American cowboy, there was the vaquero, an expert horseman who could adeptly herd cattle and whose skills with a lasso were legendary. The vaquero tradition began in colonial Mexico during the 16th century, as Spanish settlers adapted their Old World horsemanship and cattle-herding skills to the vast landscapes of the Americas.

Understanding the Context

By the early 1700s, cattle ranching had spread north into what is now Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico and south to Argentina. The native cowboys were called vaqueros (from the Spanish word for cow) and developed roping skills, using braided rawhide reatas (the root word for lariat). Take a visual tour of El Vaquero’s authentic Mexican dining experience. From sizzling fajitas fresh off the skillet to colorful margaritas and festive dining spaces, our gallery captures the flavor, energy and warmth that makes every visit unforgettable.

Key Insights

El Vaquero | Best Mexican food in Town | Mexican food near me The meaning of VAQUERO is herdsman, cowboy —used in reference to cowboys in areas (such as Mexico and the southwestern U.S.) where Spanish is spoken. How to use vaquero in a sentence. Vaqueros were the original cowboys of Mexico, developing specialized skills in horseriding, roping, and cattle herding that would later influence the American cowboy tradition.