The gauchos of La Pampa (1974)
On a flight from Buenos Aires to Miami I sat neat an attractive woman. We were flying coach and in the conversation I mentioned that I had been trying to photograph the gauchos of La Pampa, but none of the extremely rich owners I contacted would give me permission.
“Oh, I own eleven estancias,” she said. “You can photograph them anytime you like. I’ll have on of my airplanes pick you up. Call me.” I didn’t believe her, we were flying coach! But it turned out, she did own eleven estancias. Here are some of the images I took on three estancias (ranches) in 1974.
The airplanes were used to fly the managers between the estancias
A black and white photograph of a woman riding a horse along a dirt path near a sign that reads "La Pampa" and "Buenos Aires." In the background, two children are riding bicycles on a trail, surrounded by trees and buildings.
A cup of mate before going to work.
A woman riding a horse in front of a rustic wooden structure, with a dog nearby.
A person on horseback riding through a foggy field with a group of cattle grazing nearby.
A woman riding a horse amid a herd of cattle on a ranch or open field.
A black and white photograph of a smiling man wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a collared shirt, a scarf around his neck, and a sweater, holding a pipe, outdoors.
Black-and-white photo of two cowboys riding horses with a herd of cows in the background on a dry, grassy field.
Black and white photo of a man wearing a cowboy hat, bandana, and leather jacket, holding a pair of glasses, with a cigarette in his mouth.
Building and repairing fences is one of the major jobs.
Branding irons heating in the fire.
Better than any Rodeo
In 1963, before I became a photojournalist, I worked as a cowboy on a ranch in Texas, it wasn't that much different.
A man kneeling on the ground next to a hunting dog, aiming a rifle, with other hunters and horses in the background.
Two men are tending to a cow on the ground while a person on horseback watches on in a grassy field.
Castration. El facón, razor sharp and used for castrating as well as eating.
A man wearing a wide-brimmed hat and bandana riding a horse on a dirt road with a windmill in the background, black and white photo.
A man with a mustache wears a wide-brimmed hat, patterned shirt, and scarf, standing in a field with a horse in the background.
A group of men and women standing outdoors around a small fire, with one man in a large hat tending the fire with a long utensil, while others watch. The scene appears to be from a past era with black and white photography, and the setting is a wooded area.
Two men in old-fashioned clothing outside, one is holding a knife and appears to be talking, while the other, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, is sitting and holding a bottle, with bottles and a basket on the ground nearby.
Man wearing a cap and bandana eating a sandwich with a knife.
Asado (S. American BBQ)
A man wearing a checkered cap drinks from a bottle labeled 'GIRASERO' while leaning against a tree.
Two people, a woman and a man, standing outdoors near a campfire with rocks, trees, and foliage in the background. The woman is wearing a striped shirt and a hat, and the man is wearing a hat, holding a cup, with a cane, and a horse behind them.
Group of five people standing around a tied animal lying on the ground, with a fenced outdoor setting and trees in the background.
The breaking in of a horse.
Horse standing over a horse lying on the ground. Two people on horseback are nearby, one looking at the horse and the other looking away. | Chas Gerretsen
A person riding a wild bucking horse in an outdoor rural setting with trees in the background. | Chas Gerretsen
Group of five people, three adults and two children, outdoors near a wooden fence in a rural area. Two adults and one child are leaning on and sitting on the fence, while the other adult and child stand nearby. | (1974) | Chas Gerretsen
The housing for the gauchos and their family was minimal.
Gaucho Family
A group of people, including children, standing outdoors behind a barbed wire fence in a rural setting, with trees and makeshift structures visible. | Chas Gerretsen
A woman is kissing a young child on the cheek. The child appears to be crying or upset. They are indoors with a wooden wall in the background. | Chas Gerretsen
A man and a young girl smiling and laughing together outdoors, with the man leaning over and holding the girl. | Chas Gerretsen
The salesperson would come to the estancia
Some of the gauchos liked working with sheep
A flock of sheep moving along a fence line, with a person standing nearby, on a dusty day. | Chas Gerretsen
Four men standing behind a herd of sheep and three large sheep in the foreground. | Chas Gerretsen
A woman and a man with a sheep in a rural setting, possibly a farm, with the woman sitting on a wooden fence and the man leaning down to examine or tend to the sheep. | Chas Gerretsen
Sheep shearing, extremely hard work
A sheep shearer dressed in overalls and a cap standing over a sheep, which he is holding by the legs, in a barn with other sheep and people in the background. | Chas Gerretsen
Hot and hard work
Two men working with wool and cotton at an outdoor farm, with a tractor and people in the background. | Chas Gerretsen
A sheep shearer wearing a hat working on a mechanical razor with a focused expression. | Chas Gerretsen
A large herd of sheep grazing in a fenced pasture. | Chas Gerretsen
Six men gathered around an outdoor water faucet, filling a container amid trees and foliage in a black and white photo. | Chas Gerretsen
A man with a hat drinks from a large wine vessel, with a small dog near their face. The scene appears to be outdoors. | Chas Gerretsen
A man wearing a beanie hat drinks wine from a large bottle. | Chas Gerretsen
Group of men sitting and standing outdoors near a tree, some barefoot, in a casual setting with grass and a wooden fence in the background. | Chas Gerretsen
The wool gets baled and weighted.
Sheep shearer camp