Casey Jordan

We will be posting pictures of this years Art of the Cowboy Makers contest this Friday. The contest starts Friday and there are many makers on this forum who can't attend in person and would like to see the competition. We will post pictures with their entry number only, no names yet. We want you to vote ONLY ONCE in each category. Your vote won't actually count in the People's Choice since you will have a big disadvantage of only seeing a picture of the items. It will be fun to see if you pick the same winner as the people at the show. You can vote for your favorite from Friday June 17 - Sunday June 19 at 2:00 Colorado time. We have over 80 entries from 5 countries and over $11,000.00 in cash and prizes to give away! I will post all the winners and better pictures after the contest. Just give me a couple days to get home and sleep a little. Feel free to leave comments if you want.

We will be posting pictures of this years Art of the Cowboy Makers contest this Friday. The contest starts Friday and there are many makers on this forum who can't attend in person and would like to see the competition. We will post pictures with their entry number only, no names yet. We want you to vote ONLY ONCE in each category. Your vote won't actually count in the People's Choice since you will have a big disadvantage of only seeing a picture of the items. It will be fun to see if you pick the same winner as the people at the show. You can vote for your favorite from Friday June 17 - Sunday June 19 at 2:00 Colorado time. We have over 80 entries from 5 countries and over $11,000.00 in cash and prizes to give away! I will post all the winners and better pictures after the contest. Just give me a couple days to get home and sleep a little. Feel free to leave comments if you want.

We will be posting pictures of this years Art of the Cowboy Makers contest this Friday. The contest starts Friday and there are many makers on this forum who can't attend in person and would like to see the competition. We will post pictures with their entry number only, no names yet. We want you to vote ONLY ONCE in each category. Your vote won't actually count in the People's Choice since you will have a big disadvantage of only seeing a picture of the items. It will be fun to see if you pick the same winner as the people at the show. You can vote for your favorite from Friday June 17 - Sunday June 19 at 2:00 Colorado time. We have over 80 entries from 5 countries and over $11,000.00 in cash and prizes to give away! I will post all the winners and better pictures after the contest. Just give me a couple days to get home and sleep a little. Feel free to leave comments if you want.

We will be posting pictures of this years Art of the Cowboy Makers contest this Friday. The contest starts Friday and there are many makers on this forum who can't attend in person and would like to see the competition. We will post pictures with their entry number only, no names yet. We want you to vote ONLY ONCE in each category. Your vote won't actually count in the People's Choice since you will have a big disadvantage of only seeing a picture of the items. It will be fun to see if you pick the same winner as the people at the show. You can vote for your favorite from Friday June 17 - Sunday June 19 at 2:00 Colorado time. We have over 80 entries from 5 countries and over $11,000.00 in cash and prizes to give away! I will post all the winners and better pictures after the contest. Just give me a couple days to get home and sleep a little. Feel free to leave comments if you want.

I think it would be fun to see if everyone that can't be there, can pick the winners. Also they can see all the entries. I guarantee you will be very IMPRESSED! We have 5 countries entered! Argentina, Australia, Chech Republic, England and the United States. Casey

We will reach over $10,000.00 cash and prizes

Would anyone be interested in voting for your favorite in this contest, as it is happening? My thought is to have a poll where you can vote for your favorite starting June 17, the first day of the contest and running through Sunday June 19 the last day of the contest. There are quite a few members here entered who can't attend in person. We have the awards handed out on Sunday afternoon. Then we can see if you picked the same winner. You will have a slight disadvantage since you will be only looking at a picture and not the actual item. Just trying to see if I can download a picture from my laptop. One of the Trophy Buckles from last year.

Update: Leather Carving is the biggest category so far with 13 paid entries! Braiding - 9 Saddles - 10 Boots -3 You can still get involved by mail or enter online if it is easier for you. www.artofthecowboymakers.com Questions or comments welcome!

There are only 3 days left to get entered. Your application needs to be postmarked by May 16, 2011. The deadline is May 15 but that's Sunday so you have an extra day. Right now there is over $9000.00 in Cash and prizes!!! This will go up with each entry received! If you will be attending and would like to set up please get all the information here: Here's an updates on paid entries so far. We would love to have more entries in each category, the more entries the more prize money!!!!! The only way to lose is not to enter. Boots - 2 It was our decision to put this category in the contest, now it is the Boot Makers decision if this category will be in next year. We had to cancel the Bit category due to lack of entries, we hope it doesn't happen with this category too. Braiding - 8 This was a very popular category last year. It's looking good for this year too. I know there are good braiders who should be proud of their work!! Engraving - 10 Expecting some very nice entries in this Category. This one should be good, never know what the entry will be! Hats - 5 This is our first year for Hats and we would love to have several more entered to make it a popular category. We had a special rack made for this display, turned out nice! Leather Carving - 12 This should be very popular with the public. Remember the ones who enter this year will get to decide what next years project will be. Received 2 more in the mail today. We are half way to filling this category. Can you do it??? Any category that fills up will pay the winner over $900.00 cash along with the Trophy Buckle and ribbon. Saddles - 8 We have 2 makers coming all the way from the Chech Republic to enter their saddles. They know of each other but have never met. They will meet for the first time in Loveland, Colorado. Still have room for saddle makers who want to be involved. Spurs - 5 This is a crowd favorite and yet no interest from the makers?!!?! I know there are more talented Spur Makers than 5. Youth - 2 This is our first year for youth and the entry fee is only $25.00. The youth can make just about anything they want. We put in youth because we want to encourage our youth to keep our crafts going. If you have any questions or comments, Please let me know! 602-482-9758 Casey

4 days left to enter! Applications must be postmarked by May 16, 2011, since May 15 is on Sunday. You need not be present to enter and you may enter online through Paypal. Does not matter when you made it or if it has already been in another show before. New update on PAID Entries: Boots - 2 Seriously, we may have to drop this category next year unless we can get more interest this year. Braiding - 8 Should be a good category! Hoping for more entries. Hats - 4 First year for Hats, sure would like to get more than this. Engraving - 10 Real good category Leather Carving - 10 Sure would love to fill this category, there's enough talent here to do it!!!!!!! Saddles - 8 Sure would love to have more saddles, makes it interesting!! Spurs - 4 Does not look good for this category either. Youth - 2 I thought there would be more interest in youth, it's only $25.00 to enter youth. All rules and applications are on our website: www.artofthecowboymakers.com Any questions or comments welcome! Casey

John, The Leather Carving is going to be a great category! I have 10 paid entries and 2 more coming that I know of. The prize money goes up with each entry. There's a lot of talent on this forum, would love to receive more entries from members here. We could use more Braiders, Boot Makers, Leather Carvers, Saddle Makers and Youth. Also my hats off to our Sponsors of this category. I made 2 phone calls to get 2 Sponsors for this category, and they both said yes even before they knew how much the sponsorship was. Barry King Tools is our "Champion Leather Carver" Sponsor Leather Machine Co, Inc. is our "People's Choice" Sponsor Also leatherworker.net is one of our Corporate Sponsors A BIG THANK YOU to Barry, Steve, leatherworker.net, Johanna & Staff. These fine people are responsable for making this category possable! Most questions can be answered on our website: www.artofthecowboymakers.com Any questions or comments welcome! Casey

Just another quick reminder. The entry deadline is less than a week away! I know everyone waits until the last minute to enter, but I'm getting pretty nervous. We have a few categories (Boots, Hats, Spurs and Youth) that may not have enough interest this year to have the category next year. Please realize that the sponsors pay a bunch of money to sponsor these categories. If there's not many entries they won't sponsor the category next year. And quite frankly we can't justify paying all the money for buckles and ribbons for 4 or 5 entries. Not much of a contest without interest from the makers. This is your chance to get about 36,000 people to see your work and pick up your business cards for $100.00 whether you win, lose or draw. Hard to get advertising anywhere else for that. The public is looking forward to seeing the items this year, I just don't want them to be disappointed. Any questions or comments, Please let me know. 602-482-9758 Casey

Just a quick up-date on Leather Categories: Still only 2 boots entered, does not look good for this category for next year so far! Sure would hate to not have this category since it is very popular with the public. The braiders are stepping up to the challenge but we still have only 8. Starting to get some Leather Carvers entering. If this (or any category) fills up with 25 entries the winner will pocket over $900.00 CASH!!!! Not to mention the Trophy Buckle! I know there are more saddle makers out there. It doesn't matter when you made it or if it has been in another show before ours. It can be for sale or already sold, does not matter, the main purpose of the contest is exposure for the contemporary makers. Also all entries will be invited to the special exhibit at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado from June 20 - September 9, 2011. Any Youth 18 and under want entered? Entry fee for Youth is $25.00 and they can make just about anything from leather. Any questions or comments, Please ask!

Thaks Rod & Deinse! I didn't mean to give you home work, but I appreciate you taking the time to do some measuring. That helps. Steadybrook If your looking for miniature hadware I know that Bork Hardware and Boise Foundry both make miniature horns, oxbow stirrups and rigging hardware. But Rod & Denise are right they have a very limited selection, especially of horns.

Thanks for posting this Bustedlifter! What a piece of art!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rod & Denise, It's obvious you "Get It" when it comes to miniatures by using deerhide. The thinner the better to keep the bulk down. Miniatures are hard to make look right. Even though everything is exactly to 1/2 scale it might still look out of scale. So what do you do, leave it exactly to what the measurements say or cheat a little and make it look right? On miniature saddles it's hard to cheat too much because you have to go by the tree for the most part. The tree determines the skirt length, seat measurements and then everything has to be proportional to that. Can you do me a favor just for fun? Can you measure around a horn neck and horn cap before putting on the rawhide and then again after putting on the rawhide? How much will it gain? It would be interesting to see the differances on a full size and miniature one. I wonder if they gain the same percentage wise. Hope this isn't to confusing. Casey

I will throw in my 2 cents worth on miniature trees. I do agree with everything Rod & Denise said, especially - "For miniature trees, rawhide strengthens and protects the wood which would be quite fragile on its own. Compared to other coverings, the only advantage rawhide has for miniatures is tradition, so if someone wants a fully authentic miniature, then rawhide covered is what is needed." Here's what I have learned with miniature trees: If the customer wants rawhide bound tree then he will get it, with with the rawhide cut off the horn from the swell up. A miniature tree that is rawhide bound is already starting to get out of scale and "swell up." The tree looks correct and to scale with the rawhide on it, but as soon as you add the leather to the horn it gets way to big and out of scale. The neck and horn cap are way to large finished. And belive it or not the seat starts to spread pretty wide with rawhide. Now if the tree and horn starts smaller in the wood and then the rawhide was added........... I like to do miniatures with just the fiberglass/epoxy and keep the "bulk" down. On miniatures where some of the rawhide is showing then rawhide bound is the only option. The only complaint I have with rawhide on miniature trees is bulk. Hope this helps a little. Casey

The entry deadline is coming up in 15 days on May 15,2011. But you still have a month and a half to finish your entries. So far we have just over $7900.00 in cash and prizes. This amount will raise with each entry received. We have 4 countries entered so far. Argentina, Australia, Chech Republic and U.S. I know a lot of you wait until the last minute to enter, like the last two years. I have talked to a lot of makers who said they were getting in but have not received their entries yet. This is what we have so far: Boots - 2 Braiding - 8 Engraving - 5 Hats - 3 Leather Carving - 5 Saddles - 6 Spurs - 3 Youth - 1 As you can see we still have plenty of room for more in each category. The buckles and ribbons have been ordered and will be given away with cash awards. If you have any questions please ask. 602-482-9758 Casey Jordan

Just by sheer coincidence we have another saddle maker entered fromthe Czech Republic. And what's more amazing he will be at the show in Loveland, Colorado too! Two saddle makers from the Czech Republic meeting for the first time in Loveland, Colorado! They have heard of each other but have not met each other yet. They are both members of this forum. I'm really looking forward to meeting both of them. Now that's cool!!

We now have 4 countries entered!! Including a saddle maker from Czech Republic and he is coming to the show in Loveland, Colorado. I'm really looking forward to meeting him and seeing his work in person. I know for a fact that there are a lot of great makers from Canada but, we have no entries from Canada yet. I will not start naming names because it will take too long and I will probably leave someone out. All countries are welcome!!

Just a quick note as a reminder that the entry deadline is coming up in 1 month, May 15, 2011.So far we have 3 Countries entered and are expecting at least two more. I have talked to a lot of makers who said they will be entering, but still waiting on applications. Also all entries will be invited to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame exhibit from June 20 - September 9, 2011. This is real good exposure for all makers whether they win anything or not. Categories: Boots, Braiding, Engraving, Hats, Leather Carving, Saddles, Spurs & Youth Rules and Application can be downloaded off our website: www.artofthecowboymakers.com You may also pay via Paypal on the website and will not have to send in an application. This makes it real easy to enter. Any questions PLEASE ASK!602-482-9758

We have ammended one of the rules in the youth category. Adult supervision only - no help with entry. EXCEPTION: In issues of safety, the supervising adult may assist youth with the project, i.e. heavy machinery, torches, clickers, stitchers, splitters.... We want the youth to do the work but, we don't want any of them to get hurt in any way. We realized that some of the younger ones may not have the skills to use these machines safely. As always if you have any questions or comments PLEASE ask! Casey Jordan www.artofthecowboymakers.com

If you think it looks good in the pictures, you should see it in person. This is a very nice piece of work. My wife loves it!!!! Thanks Bret !