54 texashighways.com
I’m in one of my favorite parts of Texas—the Brush
Country south of San Antonio—with miles and miles of
chaparral lying ahead of me. I like it because it’s an ex-
pansive place with a rich history. It’s here where American
cowboy culture grew out of the vaquero way of life and, to
t h is day, bot h vaqueros a nd cowboys work on la rge ra nches
in South Texas. Good boots are part and parcel for anyone
working cattle from the saddle. It’s not surprising, then, that
South Texas is home to many first-rate bootmakers.
In the world of custom cowboy boots, the Rio Grande
Valley in particular is known for its bootmaking heritage,
both for the number of bootmakers concentrated in the
four-county area at the southern tip of Texas and for the
high quality of their work. My purpose for this trip is to
order custom boots from two of the Valley’s master boot-
makers, Armando Duarte Rios in Raymondville and Henry
Camargo in Mercedes.
Both Rios and Camargo have operated their shops since
the early 1980s. Their creations have attracted clients who
place orders year after year, from politicians and entertain-
ers to ordinary folks. The success of these two craftsmen
is testament to their ability to do what all great bootmak-
ers must: Satisfy their customers’ needs when it comes to
form, function, and flair.
Many people seek out Rios and Camargo because stan-
dard-size, factory-made boots simply don’t fit their feet or