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Show Kim Wilson, Annabella, kneels next to one of the many saddles he has made in the four years since he started. Wilson, who works full-time as a Sevier County Sheriff's deputy, works part-time in the basement of his home. Key to Saddle Making Is Learning Tricks of Trade By Loren It. Webb Spotlight Writer ANNABELLA - Making horse saddles is no hard thing, provided you've learned the secrets of the trade from the old timers, not to mention equipment and a place to construct them. Kim and Kerri Wilson, Annabella, of Bar W Leather and Saddlery, have all these combinations. Actively building saddles at his home for four years, Kim began making belts and rodeo chaps 10 years ago. Kerri, his wife is currently apprenticing. Once he decided making saddles was what he wanted to do on the side, (he works full-time as a Sevier County Sheriff's deputy), he spent three months in Minnatear, Neb., under the tutorship of saddle maker R. D. Mark, learning the closely guarded secrets of making saddles, fitting it to a horse and learning basic tree designs. R.D. Mark has built saddles for cutting horses for the Denver Western Livestock Show and the National High School Rodeo Champion Finals. Wilson, a Cousins, N.M. native, began rodeoing for a living 10 years ago, while going lo Brigham Young University in Provo (he graduated in criminology in 1972). He was also for a time, on BYU's and Weber State's rodeo teams and rode bareback, saddle , bronc and riding bulls. i He rode professionally three years, but going to school at the same time Jvas difficult and injuries along the way slowed him down. That helped him decide other things were more im portant. It was at BYU that he needed a belt so he made one. That started a trend and before he knew it, making 50 belts a year for friends and acquaintances was commonplace. Business came through word of mouth. He then branched into making rodeo chaps and braided bull ropes. The desire for a saddle followed. He decided to make one and save on buying one. The saddle, coincidentally has a marijuana leaf design. The design idea came to him while working narcotics enforcement for Richfield Police. He is still using the saddle. After showing it to others, people began bringing theirs to be repaired. Wilson does his own saddle designs, usually a floral design. Building sad dies begins with a tree frame, then fleeced skirts go on under the bars. The bars, made by Ritter Saddle Tree Co., Artesia, N.M.', determine what the width will be. Then the swells are usually covered at the front of the saddle. The most difficult thing is making the horn look good. Wilson said while in Nebraska, he worked on horn covers for two weeks alone, doing about 100. "R.D. would say, that's better, then would tear it off and tell me to start with another." On top of the horn, hand stitching needs to be done. After the leather on the swell is on, designs can be put on. The rigging however, which is three-fourth, one-half or full inch, goes on before the swells. The key element is to design the seat the way a horseman should fit in the saddle. Wilson feels he does that by placing a saddle leather piece on the seat so the rider is as close to the horse as possible. He then starts on the fenders, puts the stirrups on and sews the camel seat piece on. A cantle piece also goes over a portion of the seat piece to tie the rest of the saddle together. After designing is done, the saddle is shined up with a light coat of oil. Base price with no tooling is $800 and goes up from there. The majority of the saddles go for quarterhorses. He also builds for professional rodeo people, but unfortunately, their checks usually bounce, he says. Wilson builds about 10 saddles a year. He would do more were it not for his full-time job. He still does chaps and belts. The business also allows him to meet new peole. He still participates in rodeos, along with his wife and 10 year-old daughter, Kaycee, who competes in barrels. Kaycee Wilson, 10 year old daughter of Kim Wilson, sits on saddle her father made. Kim and his wife Kerri, who own Bar W Leather Saddlery in Annabella, make saddles, chaps and belts. |