He graduated from Amador High School in 1957 and was active in FFA and track. He was a hard worker from a young age. Both he and his brother Elton worked at a chicken farm for “the egg lady”. He worked at Castlewood Country Club and the Berry Farm as a lifeguard. He also worked at Amador Valley Mills while still in high school. He was proud to have worked at Gene Caldeira Grading & Paving of Livermore for many years and retired from that position. He and Arnold Caldeira were lifelong friends.
He was a true cowboy and loved competitive roping. He was always well-dressed and the epitome of an “old school” cowboy. He also enjoyed many adventures backpacking on horseback with The Backcountry Horseman of California / BCHC Mid Valley Unit; he enjoyed many friendships from the Mid Valley Unit. He loved his dog Luke, his horses, and caring for sheep.
The family would like to thank the Anastasia Home in Livermore for their kindness and care in his final year. They would also like to thank Diana Post and her daughter, Rhonda Larsen, for their loving support and care throughout that time."
He was a true cowboy and loved competitive roping. He was always well-dressed and the epitome of an “old school” cowboy. He also enjoyed many adventures backpacking on horseback with The Backcountry Horseman of California / BCHC Mid Valley Unit; he enjoyed many friendships from the Mid Valley Unit. He loved his dog Luke, his horses, and caring for sheep.
The family would like to thank the Anastasia Home in Livermore for their kindness and care in his final year. They would also like to thank Diana Post and her daughter, Rhonda Larsen, for their loving support and care throughout that time."
I hadn't heard from Leonard in a while, but I really attributed that to Leonard's habit of always keeping busy. I had no idea that he was in a long-term care nursing facility before he passed. I was sort of shocked to hear about his passing and that he was in such a facility. It was not the sort of news that I expected to hear regarding Leonard.
Then there was a time on a Back-Country Horseman's trip into the back-country when he saved the woman that he was with. Her horse was spoked and went rodeo on her. She actually fell off and ended up under her horse. She was almost dragged and stomped, but Leonard saved her.
Then there was the time he ended up losing the ability to see out of his left eye because of a green-broke horse. He had just bought the horse after being told the horse was trained to rope. After getting the horse home, he found out the horse must have been drugged for the sale. That rank horse ended up slamming him against a barn. It bashed the side of his head against a board. He ended up losing the ability to see out of his left eye from that.
And if you think that's not a big deal, try putting your hand over one eye and test your depth perception. It's almost gone. Losing vision in one eye, having monocular vision, significantly impairs someone's depth perception, particularly for close objects. As a doctor told me once, "God made our bodies to work in stereo for a reason. It's tough not to." But, believe it or not, even the loss of his left eye didn't stop him from roping and enjoying Team Roping competitions.
And by the way, I sort of chuckled to myself when I saw the reference to his "sheep" in his obituary. I remember the day back in 1997 when he called to tell me about buying a few sheep. I remember laughing with him on the phone. Yes, we both exchanged a few sheepherder jokes and then he asked me to come over to give him a hand. He wanted to build wooden panels for a portable pen. Yes, he really bought four sheep earlier that day.
Over the weekend, Leonard was driving by a field or park that was holding Sheepdog Trials. He decided to pull over and check it out. Sheepdog Trails are herding events. The events are competitions more like tests of the working abilities of dogs of herding breeds. The events are usually put on by organizations and associations of sheep and cattle breeders. Leonard said he watched a dog handler put on a demonstration that day where the handler actually had his dog herd ducks into a pen area. And yes, if you're wondering, seeing that was all it took to spark Leonard's interest.
Those competitions are divided into several categories and levels of difficulty with various scoring systems. Rules vary concerning eligible breeds, numbers of dogs, and which breeds of sheep are used. The competition usually involves a handler using his dog to guide sheep through a few obstacles, collecting them in and out of the pen, separating the sheep from the flock, that sort of thing. The event's judges evaluate the accuracy of the dog's work under the guidance of a handler, the handler's cues, and more.
So yes, Leonard told me that he was driving by when he saw some horse trailers and decided to stop to check out what was going on. He said someone asked him if he was going to enter his dog in some sort of an open breed competition. He showed me a Blue Ribbon. It was for his border collie Luke.
Typical for Leonard, just two days later, he found where he could buy a few Barbados sheep. While I didn't know squat about sheep, Leonard explained how Barbados sheep really focus on a dog's movements which makes them easier to use to train herd dogs. He told me how Barbados sheep are a low-maintenance breed. They naturally shed their wool each year, they require no shearing, and they are considered "sociable" and like to be in groups.
According to some paperwork that Leonard had, it said the Barbados breed is known for its quick and fast movements. It said they are a popular choice for sheepdog training because of their "flockability." Yes, "flockability!" They are "flockable" because they tend to stay together as a flock which is important when training dogs to work with a group of sheep. Yes, "flockable!" Who knew?
Of course, when one of his sheep started "bagging up," she became very aggressive and started charging Luke. This was not a good situation when trying to work his dog. Luke was getting sour on the whole thing because of that angry ewe.
"Bagging up" in sheep refers to the udder (milk bag) becoming firm, swollen, and filled with colostrum (first milk) as the ewe prepares for lambing. It's a sign that a ewe's lambing date is coming close. The udder typically starts to "bag up" about 1-2 weeks before lambing.
So yes, one of Leonard's sheep was going to lamb. She separated herself from the flock and was very very aggressive to everyone. In fact, she had to be separated and sold because she was meaner than she was worth. But no, that didn't stop Leonard from finding a couple more sheep -- and another border collie. This time, unlike Luke, Leonard found an expensive pure-bred.
Soon, Leonard was enjoying his time working his dogs, and still going to Ropings, trail riding, moving cattle, going to gatherings and brandings, and of course, he always made time to find a dance or bar-b-q to attend. As for companionship, Leonard was an old-fashion cowboy who loved being with gals who were old-fashion cowgirls. He loved and respected them, and they always loved him and enjoyed his company -- even when he was admittedly ornery and bullheaded.
Yes, I've known Leonard Mederios for about 30 years. He was always a good friend. He was always a great pard. We moved a few cows together. We worked a few horses together. We rode a few trails together. We had a beer now and then, a sip of whisky around a fire or two, been to a few auctions, rodeos, ropings, and I always tried to be there to help him when he needed me.
Leonard didn't make excuses and he lived the cowboy life. He never found the need to apologize for his ways. He was who he was and folks could take it or leave it. Most folks liked and respected him for who he was. I always liked that.
We talked about what it took to be a good hand, what it took to be a good cowboy, what a cowboy was back in the 1940s and '50s, and how there are skills that every cowboy really should know to be a good hand. We agreed that most of the skills needed by cowboys years ago are still important today. Yes, just as they were back in the day long before there were telephones and automobiles, there are some skills that cowboys still need to have.
We chewed the fat and laughed about a lot of things really. There was never a time when we had nothing to talk about. He liked to tell me about how it was growing up in the Pleasanton-Livermore Valley area of California back when his family ran a few head of cattle along with a small herd of sheep along with a pretty good-sized walnut orchard. He talked about watching his favorite cowboy actors making films in the 1940s and even into the 1950s in Pleasanton before the town paved its Main Street.
He told me about his Portuguese father being originally from the Azores. He also talked about how his mother's family heritage could be traced back to when the Spanish first arrived in California. We talked a lot about our heritage.
Of course, we also talked a lot about horses -- especially how breeders were taking a lot of the stockiness and cow-sense out of Quarter Horses. We talked about how some of his horses turned out to be better than he thought they would be when he first bought them. We laughed about how some of his horses turned out to be big surprises. Some were good, and some were not so good. And yes, like that "trained" horse, that rank SOB, that bashed his head against a board at his barn.
Then there was the time he ended up losing the ability to see out of his left eye because of a green-broke horse. He had just bought the horse after being told the horse was trained to rope. After getting the horse home, he found out the horse must have been drugged for the sale. That rank horse ended up slamming him against a barn. It bashed the side of his head against a board. He ended up losing the ability to see out of his left eye from that.
And if you think that's not a big deal, try putting your hand over one eye and test your depth perception. It's almost gone. Losing vision in one eye, having monocular vision, significantly impairs someone's depth perception, particularly for close objects. As a doctor told me once, "God made our bodies to work in stereo for a reason. It's tough not to." But, believe it or not, even the loss of his left eye didn't stop him from roping and enjoying Team Roping competitions.
And by the way, I sort of chuckled to myself when I saw the reference to his "sheep" in his obituary. I remember the day back in 1997 when he called to tell me about buying a few sheep. I remember laughing with him on the phone. Yes, we both exchanged a few sheepherder jokes and then he asked me to come over to give him a hand. He wanted to build wooden panels for a portable pen. Yes, he really bought four sheep earlier that day.
Over the weekend, Leonard was driving by a field or park that was holding Sheepdog Trials. He decided to pull over and check it out. Sheepdog Trails are herding events. The events are competitions more like tests of the working abilities of dogs of herding breeds. The events are usually put on by organizations and associations of sheep and cattle breeders. Leonard said he watched a dog handler put on a demonstration that day where the handler actually had his dog herd ducks into a pen area. And yes, if you're wondering, seeing that was all it took to spark Leonard's interest.
Those competitions are divided into several categories and levels of difficulty with various scoring systems. Rules vary concerning eligible breeds, numbers of dogs, and which breeds of sheep are used. The competition usually involves a handler using his dog to guide sheep through a few obstacles, collecting them in and out of the pen, separating the sheep from the flock, that sort of thing. The event's judges evaluate the accuracy of the dog's work under the guidance of a handler, the handler's cues, and more.
So yes, Leonard told me that he was driving by when he saw some horse trailers and decided to stop to check out what was going on. He said someone asked him if he was going to enter his dog in some sort of an open breed competition. He showed me a Blue Ribbon. It was for his border collie Luke.
Typical for Leonard, just two days later, he found where he could buy a few Barbados sheep. While I didn't know squat about sheep, Leonard explained how Barbados sheep really focus on a dog's movements which makes them easier to use to train herd dogs. He told me how Barbados sheep are a low-maintenance breed. They naturally shed their wool each year, they require no shearing, and they are considered "sociable" and like to be in groups.
According to some paperwork that Leonard had, it said the Barbados breed is known for its quick and fast movements. It said they are a popular choice for sheepdog training because of their "flockability." Yes, "flockability!" They are "flockable" because they tend to stay together as a flock which is important when training dogs to work with a group of sheep. Yes, "flockable!" Who knew?
Of course, when one of his sheep started "bagging up," she became very aggressive and started charging Luke. This was not a good situation when trying to work his dog. Luke was getting sour on the whole thing because of that angry ewe.
"Bagging up" in sheep refers to the udder (milk bag) becoming firm, swollen, and filled with colostrum (first milk) as the ewe prepares for lambing. It's a sign that a ewe's lambing date is coming close. The udder typically starts to "bag up" about 1-2 weeks before lambing.
So yes, one of Leonard's sheep was going to lamb. She separated herself from the flock and was very very aggressive to everyone. In fact, she had to be separated and sold because she was meaner than she was worth. But no, that didn't stop Leonard from finding a couple more sheep -- and another border collie. This time, unlike Luke, Leonard found an expensive pure-bred.
Soon, Leonard was enjoying his time working his dogs, and still going to Ropings, trail riding, moving cattle, going to gatherings and brandings, and of course, he always made time to find a dance or bar-b-q to attend. As for companionship, Leonard was an old-fashion cowboy who loved being with gals who were old-fashion cowgirls. He loved and respected them, and they always loved him and enjoyed his company -- even when he was admittedly ornery and bullheaded.
Yes, I've known Leonard Mederios for about 30 years. He was always a good friend. He was always a great pard. We moved a few cows together. We worked a few horses together. We rode a few trails together. We had a beer now and then, a sip of whisky around a fire or two, been to a few auctions, rodeos, ropings, and I always tried to be there to help him when he needed me.
Leonard didn't make excuses and he lived the cowboy life. He never found the need to apologize for his ways. He was who he was and folks could take it or leave it. Most folks liked and respected him for who he was. I always liked that.
We talked about what it took to be a good hand, what it took to be a good cowboy, what a cowboy was back in the 1940s and '50s, and how there are skills that every cowboy really should know to be a good hand. We agreed that most of the skills needed by cowboys years ago are still important today. Yes, just as they were back in the day long before there were telephones and automobiles, there are some skills that cowboys still need to have.
We chewed the fat and laughed about a lot of things really. There was never a time when we had nothing to talk about. He liked to tell me about how it was growing up in the Pleasanton-Livermore Valley area of California back when his family ran a few head of cattle along with a small herd of sheep along with a pretty good-sized walnut orchard. He talked about watching his favorite cowboy actors making films in the 1940s and even into the 1950s in Pleasanton before the town paved its Main Street.
He told me about his Portuguese father being originally from the Azores. He also talked about how his mother's family heritage could be traced back to when the Spanish first arrived in California. We talked a lot about our heritage.
Of course, we also talked a lot about horses -- especially how breeders were taking a lot of the stockiness and cow-sense out of Quarter Horses. We talked about how some of his horses turned out to be better than he thought they would be when he first bought them. We laughed about how some of his horses turned out to be big surprises. Some were good, and some were not so good. And yes, like that "trained" horse, that rank SOB, that bashed his head against a board at his barn.
We also talked about how the guy who sold the horse, and had drugged that horse for the sale, should have been held liable for Leonard losing sight in his left eye. That was a trainwreck, and the guy who sold him that horse responded to Leonard with that Bullshit-line, "Well, you bought the horse 'As Is'." It's what shady horse dealers say thinking they can't be sued. In reality, the law does not say, "As Is". The law in most states says, "As Represented." That's a big difference.
I met Leonard in 1996 when I bought my horse, Tivios Lacy, which I called "Murphy." Leonard and I became instant friends, and he liked the personal attention and care that I put into Murphy -- especially since some folks in Livermore, some old cowboys who dumped a lot of money into hiring horse trainers, didn't think my horse Murphy was worth a damn when I bought him. Later, they sure changed their tune.
After I got him in shape and Murphy filled out, and I worked him a lot, a lot of wet blankets, Murphy ended up working cows better than a lot of cow horses. And yes, there were a few folks in the area who ate crow over what they said about him. Leonard liked the way I trained Murphy and he enjoyed how some of the folks around there had to eat crow.
Looking back, I can honestly say that Leonard and I agreed on more things than not. In fact, other than me giving out too many dog treats, I can't remember anything that we ever disagreed on. We liked horses, mules, cattle, dogs, well-built saddles, sturdy tack, old spurs, trucks that weren't so high that they wouldn't be good for hauling hay, and yes we laughed when we read that Barbados sheep were "flockable."
We talked and laughed about a lot of things over the years. And yes, I learned a great deal from Leonard. We used to talk about how the people attacking the cattle industry are the same people who are trying to shut down rodeos, how crazy it is for someone to actually think a cow's fart can destroy mankind, how the NFR was always fun, how the price of hay has gone through the roof, and how some folks are Heelers while others will always be Headers.
I met Leonard in 1996 when I bought my horse, Tivios Lacy, which I called "Murphy." Leonard and I became instant friends, and he liked the personal attention and care that I put into Murphy -- especially since some folks in Livermore, some old cowboys who dumped a lot of money into hiring horse trainers, didn't think my horse Murphy was worth a damn when I bought him. Later, they sure changed their tune.
After I got him in shape and Murphy filled out, and I worked him a lot, a lot of wet blankets, Murphy ended up working cows better than a lot of cow horses. And yes, there were a few folks in the area who ate crow over what they said about him. Leonard liked the way I trained Murphy and he enjoyed how some of the folks around there had to eat crow.
Looking back, I can honestly say that Leonard and I agreed on more things than not. In fact, other than me giving out too many dog treats, I can't remember anything that we ever disagreed on. We liked horses, mules, cattle, dogs, well-built saddles, sturdy tack, old spurs, trucks that weren't so high that they wouldn't be good for hauling hay, and yes we laughed when we read that Barbados sheep were "flockable."
We talked and laughed about a lot of things over the years. And yes, I learned a great deal from Leonard. We used to talk about how the people attacking the cattle industry are the same people who are trying to shut down rodeos, how crazy it is for someone to actually think a cow's fart can destroy mankind, how the NFR was always fun, how the price of hay has gone through the roof, and how some folks are Heelers while others will always be Headers.
He once said, "Old friendships are the best, but also tough—especially when they pass." He also used to say, "We need more Jesus Christ today." I believe he was more right than he ever knew.
We talked about cowgirls and women, the importance of family, and how tough it can be to make ends meet, especially during hard times. He liked how I found a wonderful wife and best friend when I married Deanna. He had hoped to find such a woman again, even though it was late in his life. While he sadly didn't, that didn't stop him from looking.
I'll always remember his "can do" spirit, what he called his "Portugy-Redneck" habits, his great sense of humor, his laugh, his smile, and the way he respected others. He was very courteous to others -- especially women. But yes, even to those folks he had nothing in common with. He really did try to understand others -- even if they seemed as "dumb as a bag of nails" when it came to their inability to understand and accept our way of life.
I guess that was part of what I really respected about Leonard. He sowed his oats when he was younger, he didn't back down if I fight came his way, he refused to be looked down upon or treated disrespectfully by anyone -- young or old, he did his share of drinking once upon a time, he was always fun to be around, he enjoyed a good joke, and he wasn't shy to tell me that he'd learned to be a little more understanding of people as he got older -- especially ignorant people who didn't know their ass from a hole in the ground.
He was always a great friend. We enjoyed each other's company and were there for each other. I will always remember how close we were. I will always remember how I looked forward to hearing from him, hearing about the new horse or mule he'd just bought, or about the new gal in his life.
I loved it when he came up to visit. And my place is just the upper foothills, he loved the big trees, the high country, the backcountry, the open sky, riding the BLM land for miles and taking everything in. For us, the tales we laughed about while sitting around a fire was living life to its fullest -- especially on nights filled with more stars than one can ever see in a city.
His favorite place was Kennedy Meadows. Though not part of Yosemite National Park, it is located just north of the park. It's considered the gateway to the Emigrant Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While I think it's a shame that he didn't get a last ride there, I can't help but think that God must have needed a damn fine cowboy in Heaven. And yes, that's the way I'll always see him. He was a damn fine cowboy. Yes indeed, he was the epitome of an "Old school" cowboy.
On January 18th, 2025, yes, earlier this year, I drove down to Livermore so that my wife and I could attend a celebration of life for Leonard. I sat there and listened to his family talk about him. I listened to a few friends talk about him. And yes, his family gave him a really nice send-off. Frankly, as close as we were as pards, and knowing him as I did, I really believe it was something that Leonard would have been both embarrassed by -- and proud of.
So now, while I, and now so do you, know that my old friend Leonard has passed, I'll just go on thinking that he's out shopping for another rope horse, that he's probably out buying another horse trailer, and that he's out looking at another border collie with the hopes of finding another mixed breed like Luke. I'll just go on thinking that he'll be calling me soon, and we'll laugh about some gal he just met or some mule he really wants. Of course, in my heart, I know none of that will ever happen again. No, no longer will that happen. So instead, I will miss him. I will miss him a lot.
Tom Correa
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| Leonard and Luke |
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