rcsaddles

I was raised on a ranch in central Nebraska. Because of 4-H and FFA, I had my own business after one year of college. I ran that for six years before I got married and settled down. In 2004 while living in Bozeman, Montana a friend fronted me the money to build him a saddle. I enrolled in Montana Horseman Saddle Building School run by Dale Moore in Belgrade, MT.

After finishing that saddle, God opened the door for me to buy a couple of sewing machines and all the equipment I would need to start a shop. To honor God, I named my business "Rugged Cross Saddlery".

I now live in Lewistown, Montana with my wife of almost 20 years and two sons. I currently work for the State of Montana and do leatherwork on the side.

I spent 7 months in Australia in 1988 where I picked up a couple fo Ron Edwards' book and started braiding. In 1993 while living in Oregon, I met Mary Fields who is in Bruce Grant's book braiding a reata. Mary was my rawhide teacher. Many would probably say that Mary was not "right" in the way she made rawhide but it worked for her and works for me. I still do rawhide work when I can.