My Story

From training and reining, to saddle making.

How it began;

In 1989 I began repairing saddles and tack, learning from a friend. That led to creating new tack, eventually tooling leather and designing saddles for 3 different saddle companies.

Around 1995, I designed a new reining saddle for myself. The saddle was beautiful, however, the tree in the saddle did not fit my horses. The tree came from a tree company that was almost 100 years old. That made no sense at all. It was time for more education.

I had ridden, trained and shown horses for most of my life, and was a director of an equestrian college at this time. I had been riding in a Hamley saddle, breaking all different types of horses and had never experienced any issues.

On a trip to Pendleton, Oregon, I was able to meet with the man that would change my life forever. Randy Severe, a saddle maker and owner of Severe Brothers Saddlery. Randy had saddles in the Smithsonian and had won many awards. His father, Bill, made the trees for the saddles and his uncle Duff was an award winning saddle maker. Bill and Duff both worked for the Hamley Saddle Company before starting the internationally known, Severe Brothers Saddle Shop!

At this time I was making tack, chaps and creating the portfolio book for Miss Rodeo Oregon. Randy taught me braiding techniques and some leather tooling. But, it was the love of music that created a solid friendship. Many hours were spent playing guitars and singing in the Severe Brothers Saddle Shop.

One afternoon, Randy Severe asked me when I was going to learn how to make saddles? I had thought about it once or twice, but realized it was a big step and shouldn't be taken lightly. With the decision made, I would go to Pendleton around March of every year to learn saddle making and help Randy with the Pendleton Round Up trophy saddles. I was able to help make the trophy saddles for the 100th year of the Pendleton Round up, which was very special. At this point, Randy said he was teaching me 120 years of trial and error, through him, his dad, his uncle and the saddle makers before them at the Hamley Saddle Company.

There are no words that can describe the gratitude I have for Randy Severe. The best saddle maker, braider and guitar playing friend.