John M.P. “Jackie” Tavares
Year Inducted: 2022
Waialae Nui Ranch | Maui
Haleakala Ranch | Maui
John M. P. Tavares, more affectionately known as Jackie Pacheco, was born on October 28, 1932 (one of a set of twin boys) to John and Elizabeth Tavares of Kokomo, Maui. His father, John, worked for Haleakala Ranch and managed his own personal herd of cows on weekends. Jackie was therefore born into a ranching family. As soon as he could walk, he was thrown on a horse to help with the family ranching activities. He recalls riding horseback from Kokomo to Huelo and back on weekends to work his father’s cattle. Those were long days!
Right out of high school, he started his own little herd. He also started to work for a family operation in the Ōmaʻopio area of Maui, known back then as Waialae Nui Ranch. This ranch was owned by Walter and Hilda Costa of Oʻahu. They operated a dairy and meat market on Oʻahu, which their Maui operation supported. The ranch ran a cross of Brahman cows that were best suited for the dry Ōmaʻopio weather. In addition to their cow herd, the Costa family also ran a feedlot and their own slaughterhouse in Ōmaʻopio. The slaughtered carcasses were then shipped to the Costa’s Oʻahu meat market. It was on this ranch that Jackie became a “Jack of all trades.” From sharpening his cattle raising skills, to running a feedlot, to being a butcher in the slaughterhouse, Jackie had to do a little of everything to make things work.
He also worked one day a week slaughtering cattle at Elmer Carvalho’s slaughter facility on Dairy Road in Kahului. They would slaughter about ten head between the hours of 4:00-11:00 every Thursday night. This was done after getting off from his day job at Waialae Nui Ranch.
His weekends were spent working his own cattle in the Twin Falls, Huelo, Kailua area of East Maui. As time permitted, he would also assist other ranchers with their work. Names like Hansel Akoi of Keʻanae, Steven Cabral of Kailua, Bruce Flemming of Kula, and Bill Ebi of Haiku were some of them. He never turned down the opportunity to help his fellow rancher, as he also knew he could depend on them to help him as well. It was a sign of a true paniolo and the way the Hawaiʻi ranching community survived. Otherwise on his time off, he enjoyed shoreline fishing and pig hunting. He was also an active participant in the Makawao 4th of July Rodeo and the Ulupalakua Ranch Rodeo, where he participated in team roping and double mugging events. One of his rodeo partners would always be his twin brother Howard, who he also shared Grand Marshall honors with for the Makawao Rodeo Parade in 2007.
Jackie always had a hard work ethic! He would always say, “to be a good rancher you have to know a little of everything. Know little bit about plumbing, carpentry, mechanic, electrician, etc. so you could do most of the ranch work yourself to keep your costs down.” He would raise, shoe and train his own ranch horses. He could also do a little leather work and made for himself a kaula ʻili rope and whips. The raising of cattle came natural to him. He had a sharp eye for selecting good cows, bulls and horses. He also selected a great wife in Wilden Tavares, who has stuck by his side for over 60 years. Jackie is proud and honored to be inducted alongside his father, John Pacheco Tavares, into the Paniolo Hall of Fame!