I was searching for some information on the San Fernando Saddlery and ran across these postings. I thought I would share some memories. During the years 1951 - 1954 (ages 12-15) my friend, C.B. Wesslund and I used to hang out at the saddlery watching the leather artists at work and just being among those great leather smells. C.B's dad was the Barn Manager at Hudkins Bros. Movie Stables about a mile away on Coldwater Canyon just above Sherman Way. C. B. and I would ride our favorite Hudkin's horses to the saddlery at least once a week (exercising them was our pay for cleaning the barn and stalls) :-) C.B. was also a stunt double for Jimmy Hawkins in the Annie Oakley T.V. series. I had the opportunity to do stunt work also, but my folks wouldn't hear of it. So my stunts were strictly off screen. I have owned a saddle for about 30 years that I am certain was made by the San Fernando Saddlery. I'm doing research so that I have the information about the saddle for my family when I finally hit the end of the trail. Hanging out at the saddlery is one of my fondest childhood memories. I even think the leather workers enjoyed just having us hang out. They were great guys, sadly none of whose names I remember. In my later years I produced bronze statues of Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers. My wife and I met Grace Bradley Boyd at that time, and became friends with Roy, Dale, son Dusty, and daughter Cheryl. A great way to complete the cowboy circle.
-Bill Hamburg, Coupeville, Washington
