saddle for All Around Performance Horse Ranch Rodeo

[Don]

Here is a saddle that we just finished for the All Around Performance Horse Ranch Rodeo. This saddle will be given to the Top Horse of the ranch rodeo. I had a lot of fun building this saddle...they pretty much gave me the reins to do what I wanted to do...which is a scary. It is built on an Association tree from Bowden. The leather is Thouroughbred russett skirting. Let me know what you think.

[Richard Hidalgo]

Don,

Congratulations! That is a really nice saddle, not like many of the "trophy" saddles that are being awarded at this time. You are reviving the tradition of good trophy saddles made in Bryan that was first started by The Saddle Maker (Jimmy Cook and Arturo Jiminez) in the early 1970's. Keep up the good work. I am still riding a saddle made by The Saddle Maker in 1972. It was made on Tic Tac Roper tree.

Regards,

Richard Hidalgo

[DWL]

Don,

WOW, very nice work! The competition will be very fierce for that saddle.

[sheathmaker]

Don; That dang sure isn't a Circle Y trophy saddle for sure. Beautiful work . I really like the horn treatment and, of course you used my choice for the best brand tree.

Paul

Edited October 5, 2007 by sheathmaker

[Go2Tex]

OH yeah! Now, that's a saddle worth winning. First of all, I think I just wasted my $10 entry fee for the Wichita Falls show..... but I digress...

Seriously, though, do you carve the cantle binding on or off the tree? And, did you use a filler? It looks kinda thin. I like that look and I've been trying to get mine thinner without sacrificing firmness. Nothing worse than a floppy cheyenne roll.

Now, about that knife cut design on the seat. Do you sketch your design first on each side, trace it off or what? It's real nice and symmetrical. And, do you mind if I steal your idea for my next rough-out?

And finally, Don, on your trophy saddles, I notice this one has the horn unwrapped. Do you give the guy a choice of wrap or what?

[bruce johnson]

Don,

Very cool work. I like the pattern, and especially the really smooth job of covering the swells without a welt (or am I just not seeing it?). The finger carving in the seat breaks up a pretty big open area too. No reason to safety up when they give out awards like this. Congratulations.

[SmilinJim]

Don, I don't know a dang thing about saddles. That being said, it's a great piece of work from any point of view. Impressive.

Jim

[Chris B]

Thanks really really nice! Good work...

[Don]

Thanks everyone. I am really glad ya'll like it...it would be nice if all organizations could afford to give saddles like this away.

Go2tex

My binders are toold on the rock and then I re-lift my petals when its on the saddle. And yes I use plugs...I just try to keep them thin yet really firm.

As far as the carving in the seat, I have done a few of these in our roughout saddles and it is popular. On this one I drew one side and then traced it off and transfered to the other side. This is the only way I could keep it symmetrical.

I figure the person that wins the saddle can put his/her wrap of choice on the horn.

Bruce Johnson:

There is a welt in the swell cover. I have covered this style of front three times without a welt...it is not easy, but looks great. This saddle I just blind stitched the front cover and tooled right over it. This is what I usually do on floral saddles because when tooled over you can hardly find the seam anyway.

[Go2Tex]

Thanks Don. I really admire your work. Hope to run into you at the show.

[bruce johnson]

Don,

They reran the ranch rodeo series on All Around Performance Horse. I got to see the second go tonight, and they featured you and the saddle under construction. Congratulations again, and it is great to put a face to the name.

[Don]

Thanks a lot Bruce. Sorry I have not posted in a while folks, but things have been really busy here this past month. It doesn't look like it is going to slow up in November any (thank god) so I apoligize. I hope everyone is snowed under with work for Christmas. Keep pounding. Thanks.

[gtwister09]

Don,

I like the work in the roughout seat! I saw some work that Bob Dellis did one time on a roughout purse that was all swivel knife work. I thought that it was quite unique but never really considered it in a seat. I got to see the series with you in it but now that I am reading these posts in the forum I guess that I should have paid a lot closer attention.

Regards,

Ben