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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