La Mota Ranch is located in the Wild Horse Desert, the fabled Llanos Mesteños, where the teeming herds of Texas Longhorns and wild mustangs were gathered to begin the long trek north up the Old Chisolm Trail.

At La Mota Ranch, we are proud of this great heritage, which began with hardy settlers brought in by Spanish colonizers in the mid-18th century. Some of them established their land grant haciendas in what was to become Jim Hogg County and eventually the herds of cattle and horses with the brands of these pioneers were well known “up the trail” to the northern markets. Many descendants continue to ranch on portions of those early Spanish and Mexican grants in the vicinity of La Mota Ranch.

Francisco "Paco" Hinojosa Skilled Fence and Pen Builder Cerquero Y Corralero	Modesto Garcia Retired C.W. Hellen Ranch, Caporal
photos by Bob Parvin - Goliad

We are equally proud of the culture of the skilled vaqueros who, from the earliest days of the great cattle drives, have personified the Llanos Mesteños, setting the standard for cowboys everywhere. With their skills of riding, roping and horse training they, above all others, were responsible for gathering the huge herds that made the cattle kings of Texas rich and famous and formed the basis for the livestock industry that exists today.

After the coming of the railroad, Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County, became, for a time, the largest cattle-shipping center in the nation. Today, it remains the home and commercial center for many family-owned cattle ranches with the large undeveloped tracts of diverse grass and brush land that are important to birding and wildlife enthusiasts worldwide. Our unique bi-cultural Texas-Mexican ranching heritage and vaquero ethic adds to the interest and enjoyment of these visitors.