Frank Vaz Borba, born near Visalia in Goshen, California, on February 17, 1927, was the son of Portuguese immigrants from Terceira Island in the Azores and inherited from his ancestors a passion for brave bulls and the instincts of a fighting bull breeder. He was the first founder and president of the Azores Band of Escalon, which worked to keep Portuguese musical traditions alive, and alongside the Portuguese Catholic Church he helped produce the Our Lady of Fatima Festival of Escalon. Committed to preserving his tradition and culture, he helped secure legislation allowing bloodless bullfighting in California, helped build the first rectangular bullfighting arena in Thornton, California, and in 1980 completed construction of Campo Bravo Bullfighting Arena. After Campo Bravo was completed, world-renowned bullfighters took part in events there, and Borba helped create a place that preserved Portuguese culture in the San Joaquin Valley.