This saddle was built by Terry Henson an Oklahoma City native and currently residing in Azle, Texas. It is full floral carved and has Justin Walker custom handmade silver conchos. It has an inlaid dark brown elephant padded seat and elephant swell caps. It has 7/8 double dee rigging set in the 7/8 position. It has a Lewis saddle tree built by Ray Lewis with Ray Lewis Arizona bar pattern. It is a Will James tree. It has a #18 horn. Excellent bar pattern will fit 80% of today's horses.
Saddle Specifications
Horn Cap 2 ¾”
Horn Height 3 ¼”
Seat 15”
Cantle Height 4 ¼”
Cantle Width 12 ¾”
Swells Width 14”
Gullet Width 6 ½”
Gullet Height 8”
Rounded Skirt Length 27 ½”
Stainless Dees Front and Back 3”
Oxbow Stirrups 1 ¾”
Oxbow Stirrup Tread Finished 2 ¼”
Stainless Roller Buckles 1 ¾”
Flank Cinch Width 6”
Click on Picture to See More Detailed Pictures of this saddle
Unique Features
Some unique features of this saddle are that there are no cut edges showing on the horn cap or on the cantle binding. The stirrups inside the Tapaderos are Oxbows and are fully covered and tooled. Underneath the cantle binding there is no stitching showing. There is also inset elephant hide on the back side of the swell cover and in the seat. There is excellent construction and incredible tooling on this saddle. There is also tooling on the stirrup leathers and Blevins Buckle sleeves.
Awards
This saddle won 2nd place in Floral Workmanship, Floral Tooling, and Best of Show in the 2009 Custom Boot and Saddle Maker’s Roundup held in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Roundup is an invitation only event and quite an honor just to be asked to participate. Terry beat out many well known makers including Jeremiah Watt, Tommy Conway, Troy West, and Mark Hurley.
About JUSTIN WALKER (Texas)
Justin Walker was born to the ranch traditions of north Texas. He rodeoed throughout college and became aware of the quality gear of the sport. This appreciation for fine workmanship spurred an interest in silversmithing, and soon Justin developed a passion for elevating utilitarian cowboy gear into exquisite art. Today, Justin continues to build on his solid reputation for creating unique jewelry and western buckles. "For me, the process of taking my drawing to the completed piece is what it s about," he says. "I take a lot of pride making sure it s right before I send it out." Justin has won numerous awards and his work is displayed in museums.
About Terry Henson
Terry is an Oklahoma City native and began leather work at the age of 12 and started making saddles at the age of 16. When he graduated he went to work for Baldo Hill at his saddle shop in Welston, Oklahoma. He worked for Trophy Tack for a while and then decided to open his own business with a friend in Purcell Oklahoma. Together, they produced about 50 saddles per year and repaired many more. Terry has always been active in rodeo, including calf roping, team roping, and riding bucking horses. So when Terry builds a saddle, he incorporates his saddle making experience and actual saddle time into it.
Page from the November 2009 Issue of Shop Talk Magazine
Handmade Western Tack
Bits & Spurs
Chaps & Chinks
Cowboy Hardware
Headstalls & Spur Straps
