For 40 years, Rusty Leaver and his wife, Diane, owned, operated and preserved much of the land and all of the livestock traditions of Deep Hollow Ranch – America’s oldest cattle ranch located at the tip end of Long Island in Montauk, New York.

Leaver, as the director, writer and producer of “Ascencion”, our feature-length documentary submission, began his entertainment career in 1990 producing the first in a series of ten summer concerts. The “Back At The Ranch” events drew crowds of 11,000 each summer and raised over $2.5 million for The Nature Conservancy and other environmental causes.  Hosted by Paul Simon and Billy Joel, the series featured the legends of the music industry: James Taylor; Lyle Lovett; Carly Simon; Ray Charles; James Brown; Don Henley; Jimmy Buffett and many more.

In addition to the concert series, Leaver has produced Dinner Theater, Living History Tours and epic Wild West Shows.  He has also worked with some of the top photographers and filmmakers in the capacity of animal director.

In 2008, the Leavers founded Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League, a summer league that now has grown to seven teams throughout the towns and villages of the East End of Long Island.  The league has helped usher over 100 players into the Major Leagues, while providing free family entertainment, free clinics to area youth, and making considerable improvements to local baseball fields.

In 2011, the Leavers purchased land in Weatherford, Texas, the cutting horse capital of the world, and established Rock Creek Ranch. The ranch is a working horse and cattle operation and also serves as headquarters for Rock Creek Productions.

The film project was launched as Leaver’s response to the political opportunism associated with the Presidential election cycles, and based on his long friendship with Ascencion Banuelos. Leaver had a curiosity about the details of his personal story – a journey that began in 1969, when at age 13, Ascencion crossed the river to America with the dream of becoming a great horseman and helping his family.

Rock Creek Productions is now working on a screenplay for a feature film about Ascencion’s amazing journey.