Rancheros visitadores

From TinWiki.org

"Why don't we use the themes of fellowship, a lovely country and a lovely time of the year down in Santa Barbara County, but make the horse the central motif of it?"

-John Mitchell in Neill C Wilson. 1955. Los Rancheros Visitadores: Twenty-Fifth Anniversary. Rancheros Visitadores. pp.17-8

The Rancheros Visitadores or the "Visiting Ranchers" is a social club for the elite in the United States. It has members from across the U.S., with most coming from the central and western U.S. The group meets on ranchland in Santa Barbara and embarks northward on a 60-mile journey across the countryside, after receiving a blessing at the Santa Innes Mission. All along there are elaborate ceremonies and games. This takes place over the course of a week.

John Mitchell founded the group, son of well to do Chicago bank president, Naval Aviation Serviceman in WWI, and husband to Lolita Armour of the meatpacking industry. Armour also provides desiccated pig thyroid hormones for treatment of thyroid disease. Mitchell was a member of the exclusive Chicago Club, but also the Bohemian Club. Indeed, it was after returning from the two-week Bohemian Club encampment that he discussed with some friends forming their own version, and thus the Rancheros were born, with the first full ride in May of 1930.

Apparently, the idea was based on a little bit of history. Ranchers up till the 1860's would drive cattle to nearby Missions, where they'd meet other driving groups, move to the next Mission, and so on until all the cattle were brought to market. On the return home, and this is the part that the RVs, as they abbreviate themselves, focus on, the ranchers would have a hellacious and carefree ride back to their homes.

Mitchell's ranch, christened Rancho Juan y Lolita, is a central point for the group.

Participants are supposed to wear 'authentic' cowboy fashion. Members are broken up into camps, such as Los Amigos, Los Tontos, Los Flojos, and Los Borrachos. Former US President Ronald Regan and former Justice Clark belonged to Campo Adolfo. Los Gringos, Los Borrachos, and Los Chingadores are camps with many members that are also in the Bohemian Club. Camp Maverick is for newcomers, and, as might be imagined, there is relentless hazing. Newcomers are encouraged to fight back.

[edit]