Esteban Escobedo

Esteban Escobedo is a passionate individual who thrives on representing his background and his ancestors with pride. Esteban currently works for the California Department of Food and Agriculture-Animal Health Branch assisting veterinarians throughout the state protecting our food sources and preventing infectious animal diseases to spread in California. Esteban enjoys providing outreach and education to 4H/FFA children and the general public on animal husbandry and wellbeing of livestock. He also works closely with the California Rural Crime Prevention Task Force (CRCPTF), assisting sheriffs with agricultural crimes and to educate local constituents on the rules and regulations dealing with livestock.
Esteban is also the Public Relations representative and Co-Regional Manager for Southern California for the Federacion Mexicana de Charrería en California (FMCH-CA). Esteban has been competing in charreadas (Mexican Rodeos) for the past 38 years. He also competed and participated alongside with Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) for close to 14 years. In his career, Esteban was fortunate to work with various of Mexico’s finest actors/actresses and singers participating and managing their rodeo shows over the years. In particular, he worked with Antonio Aguilar and family for 32 years. Vicente Fernandez, Joan Sebastian, and Ezequiel Peña were also big names that Esteban worked closely with.
At a young age, Esteban wanted to learn how to trick rope. Due to the fact he is left-handed, no instructor at the time was willing to work with him since they found it awkward for them. He ended teaching himself by watching others and watching videos. Esteban has been performing in these rodeo shows and other cultural events for 40 years now, doing what he loves best. He enjoys giving the crowds the entertainment they deserve. During his time at UC Davis, Esteban found another way to express his passion for his culture through dance. He joined the local university Mexican Folk dancing group and has continued dancing 25 years later with Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles.
Currently, Esteban has been working closely with rodeo and Charrería to enhance a program to further care for the animal athletes that perform alongside of all the cowboys and charros. The Charrería And Rodeo Education (CARE) program teaches rodeo and charro contestants to have veterinarian technician skills to care for an animal in an emergency to assist the veterinarians and tend to them. Like Esteban, all rodeo and charro contestants live for their livestock and animals. It is their number one priority to allow the animal athletes to perform to their best abilities just like the contestants.