Casey Jordan

I had to put the spurs on another page, sorry! Ran out of room for pictures. Also here's a picture of one of this years Trophy Buckles! Spurs:1st - Jim Mower & Denny Lytle ( L&M Spurs) 2nd - George Blackwood 3rd - Henry Ellis People's Choice - Gary Wiggins All the entries were invited for a two month exhibit at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Our main goal is to get exposure for contemporary makers and this exhibit is just another way to achive this goal. The front table has all the hand outs and business cards of all the makers. Here's a couple pictures of this exhibit. There were a lot of items sold and orders taken by makers in this contest. I will be posting details on next years contest soon. We will be getting more pictures up on our website soon also. www.artofthecowboymakers.com

I have been waiting for pictures and dates for next years contest to post the results. The dates are still not confirmed yet but it will not conflict with Sheridan. Also we will be adding one more category - Leather carving! The first year all entries will be making a legal pad binder, that way everyone will be working with the same size item. I will post details when we have the dates confirmed. We would like to thank all our sponsors and contestants of this years contest. For those of you who could not be there in person it was very stiff competition in ALL categories. There were several categories that were very close. We will have pictures up on our website soon. Congratulations to all winners! 2010 Art of the Cowboy Makers winners: Bits:1st - Kevin Peebler 2nd - Bill Madole 3rd - Les Iverson People's Choice - Gary Wiggins Boots:1st - Schwarz Custom Boots 2nd - Bill Niemczyk 3rd - Lisa Sorrell People's Choice - Schwarz Custom Boots Braiding:1st - Nate Wald 2nd - Ed Pass 3rd - Ray Huffman People's Choice - Ed Pass Engraving:1st - D.L. Moss 2nd - Rex Crawford 3rd - Kevin Elkins People's Choice - Fluff Wood Saddles:1st - Jesse Smith 2nd - Gary Parrish 3rd - Box Bar Cross Saddlery People's Choice - Casey Jordan Spurs to follow on next page!!!!!

To all makers that wait 'till the last minute to enter: This is very Important!! If your application is in the mail by Friday, April 30th we will accept your entry. Please let me know it is on the way. But we will need you to email your biography and description by Friday, April 30th. We are having posters made for the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame with the makers bio's on them. Any descriptions and bio's received after April 30th will not be included on the posters. SORRY! This has to go to the printer by May 3rd. We will need a couple days to do the layout and design. As always please ask any questions here or call me: 602-482-9758 Thanks, Casey

Steadybrook, Contact Jon Watsabaugh, he makes some pretty nice 1/2 size trees. He is a member here. Stole this off one of his posts- If interested or for references, call me at the shop at 515-285-0799 I have one on my bench now, one on the way and another one ordered and he is waiting on the silver horn to get started. Hope this helps.

One week left to entry deadline of April 30th. Just a quick point. Some makers have said they would not enter because they could not win. My answer is win, lose or draw you are going to come out ahead. Consider this: For a $100.00 entry fee you get exposure to 4 or 5 hundred people at the contest and then several thousand more at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame during the two month exibit. You will have your website, contact information and pictures of your work on our website. You also get the chance to win cash and prizes. I have entered the engraving contest knowing I won't win because my engraving is not good enough to win. I'm not trying to be modest, it's just a fact. I entered for the cheap exposure of my work. Where else can you get this much exposure for $100.00? Something to think about! I have seen a lot of great work on this site. You might be suprised with the enterest you get by having others to see your work too. Any questions just ask! Comments and suggestions welcome! Thanks, Casey

A special "Thank You" to all of our sponsors. GRS Tools and Traning Center is our engraving sponsor and will be set up at the show. Josh Hamlin and Diane Scalese from GRS will be on hand with show specials! Here's a list of all our category sponsors: Sponsor People's Choice Bits Engel's Auctions People's Choice Boots Joe Flores People's Choice Braiding Larry & Cindy Peck People's Choice Engraving Lucky Stars Ranch People's Choice Saddle Dave & Cheryl Richardson People's Choice Spurs Suzy Barrier Bits Brighton Feed & Saddlery Boots Alan & Cathy Wilkinson Braiding U-Braid-It Braiding Supply Co Engraving GRS Tools and Engraving School Saddles Colorado Saddle Makers Assoc Spurs David Hewitt Other Sponsors Suzy Barrier Ramona Turman-Hulick Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal Kurt House

A couple people have asked if they need to be present to enter. No, you don't have to be there to enter or win. Your entry can be brought by a friend of yours or can be mailed to me to take for you. Any questions just ask!

For the engravers. The question was asked: What can be entered into the engraving category? You can enter anything except bits & spurs since we already have categories for those. So it is up to you what you want to put in. If your a gun engraver you could even just put in a floor plate or frame parts and not the whole gun. Just something that will show case your engraving. Any comments and questions welcome!

Crystal, Fun and interesting! It would be interesting to see what people come up with. Thanks for your comment!

RW, Thanks for your response! We are just kicking around the idea. I think there would be a lot of interest in this category. All comments welcome!

Would anyone be interested in a "carving contest" ? We're thinking of possibly a legal size (11"x14") binder one year and something different every year to keep it interesting. Comments? Suggestions? Ideas?

To all bit, boot, braiders, engravers, saddle and spur makers: This is just a reminder that the entry deadline for this contest is April 30th. We need to have all entries in by then so we can have everything done for the contest. The top 10 from each category will go straight from the contest to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame for a two month display. We still have room in all categories but spurs are filling up quickly. There doesn't seem to be much interest in Bits though. Any bit makers? What we need from entrants: 1. Description: A short (paragraph) description of your entry including price if it is for sale. The sale will be between you and the buyer. If it has already been sold or is part of someones collection, we will put that where the price would be. 2. Biography: We will also need a biography of the maker or makers. This will be used for all entries that will be at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame display. This will give the public at the museum more information about you. 3. Business cards: Don't forget to bring business cards to put out next to your entry. If you are mailing your entry to me just include them with your entry. All extras will be returned. Most questions can be answered on our website: www.artofthecowboymakers.com There is a link at the bottom of the rules page to print out an entry application.Any other questions just email or call: 602-482-9758

Congratulations to both of you - Andy and Ryan! Two very nice looking saddles.

I like what your doing. I would like to suggest a couple things you may not notice until your done tooling. These are very small things, but might help with the finished product. 1. Tim is right about the turned back leaf being too big and out of proportion. Easy fix is to make a paper pattern of the leaf flat then place it there and fold it back to where you want it. That takes the guess work out of size proportion. 2. Between that turn back leaf and the one below it is a big triangle space for background. I think it will stand out when tooled since it is bigger than the rest. Easy fix try to fill in that space a little. 3. It might look a little odd to the eye when you have three flowers the same and two different in a five flower pattern. Easy fix is to make the center flower the only different one. Or the top right and bottom left match and top left and bottom right match. Hope this helps a little.

Well at least you have your priorities straight! Got to spend it to make it.

Gary, Now that's a work of art! I noticed all the extra details too, a lot of extra work but it sure paid off!

I'm not a brider, but that is some nice work.

Troy, Now that is really sharp! Very nice job.

Nice piece of work there!

Very Impressive and unique. Nice Job!

Very Impressive!

To All Braiders, We have enough braiders who said they would enter if we kept it in the contest. So based on their word we will keep braiding in. Just remember the more that enter, the more the prize money and the top 10 will be invited to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame for a two month display. Buckles are ordered!

I guess I just need to ditto what everone else has said. Very nice job and the color is a grand slam home run.

I would say Not really. There may be a special here and there on certain items, but the prices are generally normal. That being said, I would still recommend going if your that close. I'm planning on being there tomorrow.