Horsewright
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2011
- Messages
- 13,479
Couple week ends ago we went to the Brannaman Pro Am, the richest ranch roping ever held. I had competed the first two years they had this event and missed out last year, the entries filled up with in 15 minutes of opening and I tried signing up about 30 mins after opening. Since I wasn't roping last year we took the booth and were vendors (very difficult show to get in). This year thought what the heck go big or go home and I roped an we were vendors too. Come along for a little tour and you'll see some great leatherwork both for sale and being used, handcrafted items of all types and even some hardware and leather tools for sale.
Hope for the world. These two young Canadian cowboys (quite a few folks haul down from Canada to compete as these young men's father did. Also had a two teams fly in from Australia this roping is getting to be a big deal) were checking out my knives in our booth. Notice both of these guys are already carrying knives. Thats what I mean by hope for the world, all is not lost yet. The older brother ended up buying a knife. When a kid comes into my booth with money he's earned to buy something (not mommies money but money he's earned) they get an automatic discount. Good karma comes back. We sold them the pink kids rope too.
Down the aisle a couple of booths was my buddy Mike, "Tapadero" of Taps Bit and Spur Shop. If you ever seen one of my engraved knives Tapadero is who did the engraving. He also designed my Tapadero knife hence the name.
Little bit of his work for sale:
Across from Mike was the Watt booth. They are makers of JWP hardware and Horseshoe brand tools for leather working. Here is some they had available at the show:
And a wall of hardware:
Couple more of our booth:
Walk around the corner and Kent Frecker, master saddle maker has one of his saddle for sale on the pool table, an interesting display choice:
Kinda cool to see one of my knives and Beltless Sheaths bellied up to the bar:
Went outside and there was one of Nichole's purses watching the roping:
Some old guy getting ready to rope. I'm looking for the number on the cow as you have to rope the number they give you. I vote for the bifocal numbers next year. These ones were tiny and hard to see. Plus ours was folded over, just luck of the draw on our first go.
My partner Jannine had better eyes than either me or our pro and she and Mannalito her little mustang found em and got em roped. I caught the heels and its cool when your pro has to get down and do the groundwork.
Second go and there he is. You see that little itty bitty white number on the cow's back? Well big Dave don't miss a hoolihan very often and I nailed that one.
Dally on the horn and stop the cow from running off. Wes our pro gets in position. I hadn't met Wes before but knew of him by rep as pretty wolfy, (thats cowboy for badass roper). What I didn't know is he's a long time customer and that I'd made him 5 knives and 4 pair of leggings over the years. It was good to meet him. In fact he'd just got married and his father in law had ordered two knives and sheaths with the wedding date stamped on the back of the sheath. Just shipped em a couple of months ago. Just didn't know they were going to Wes.
I bring him out and Wes nails the heels. Ol Battleship can sure pull em out:
Janine got down to fix the ropes. She has to take my head rope off and put it around the front feet and make sure that both heels are in Wes' rope. Time ends when she has done this and stands up.
My son Logan (pink shirt) and grandson Easton (red shirt) were on another team. Two years ago they took fourth at this deal out of 100 teams. This year there were 155 teams.
Logan's carved Slobber straps that we made him. A slobber strap connects a mecate (horse mane hair rope) rein to a snaffle bit. Also a pic of the matching martingale with 3" silver concho we made him. He's riding Huero (Blondie in Spanish).
Tapadero was standing next to me and was watching this run. "When Logan does the groundwork those calves don't stand a chance", he said. Logan is about 6"4" and 250 plus as a working cowboy on huge outfits, he does this by the 1,000s.
Well Jannine and I didn't make the finals but Logan and Easton did. Top 30 teams come back on Sunday. Here's Nichole talking to Logan and Katie his fiancee. Easton is horseback behind and they are waiting their turn in the finals. They were sitting 13th going into the finals.
Huero listening in the conversation between Tapadero and Logan as they talk bits.
They got er done but had a rough time in a couple of the finals runs. They ended 16th over all when all said and done.
There's that pink rope we sold that young man. Now thats pretty wolfy:
Big brother has his new Horsewright knife and sheath on.
Hope ya enjoyed a little tour of this cowboy world. Questions and comments always welcome.
Hope for the world. These two young Canadian cowboys (quite a few folks haul down from Canada to compete as these young men's father did. Also had a two teams fly in from Australia this roping is getting to be a big deal) were checking out my knives in our booth. Notice both of these guys are already carrying knives. Thats what I mean by hope for the world, all is not lost yet. The older brother ended up buying a knife. When a kid comes into my booth with money he's earned to buy something (not mommies money but money he's earned) they get an automatic discount. Good karma comes back. We sold them the pink kids rope too.
Down the aisle a couple of booths was my buddy Mike, "Tapadero" of Taps Bit and Spur Shop. If you ever seen one of my engraved knives Tapadero is who did the engraving. He also designed my Tapadero knife hence the name.
Little bit of his work for sale:
Across from Mike was the Watt booth. They are makers of JWP hardware and Horseshoe brand tools for leather working. Here is some they had available at the show:
And a wall of hardware:
Couple more of our booth:
Walk around the corner and Kent Frecker, master saddle maker has one of his saddle for sale on the pool table, an interesting display choice:
Kinda cool to see one of my knives and Beltless Sheaths bellied up to the bar:
Went outside and there was one of Nichole's purses watching the roping:
Some old guy getting ready to rope. I'm looking for the number on the cow as you have to rope the number they give you. I vote for the bifocal numbers next year. These ones were tiny and hard to see. Plus ours was folded over, just luck of the draw on our first go.
My partner Jannine had better eyes than either me or our pro and she and Mannalito her little mustang found em and got em roped. I caught the heels and its cool when your pro has to get down and do the groundwork.
Second go and there he is. You see that little itty bitty white number on the cow's back? Well big Dave don't miss a hoolihan very often and I nailed that one.
Dally on the horn and stop the cow from running off. Wes our pro gets in position. I hadn't met Wes before but knew of him by rep as pretty wolfy, (thats cowboy for badass roper). What I didn't know is he's a long time customer and that I'd made him 5 knives and 4 pair of leggings over the years. It was good to meet him. In fact he'd just got married and his father in law had ordered two knives and sheaths with the wedding date stamped on the back of the sheath. Just shipped em a couple of months ago. Just didn't know they were going to Wes.
I bring him out and Wes nails the heels. Ol Battleship can sure pull em out:
Janine got down to fix the ropes. She has to take my head rope off and put it around the front feet and make sure that both heels are in Wes' rope. Time ends when she has done this and stands up.
My son Logan (pink shirt) and grandson Easton (red shirt) were on another team. Two years ago they took fourth at this deal out of 100 teams. This year there were 155 teams.
Logan's carved Slobber straps that we made him. A slobber strap connects a mecate (horse mane hair rope) rein to a snaffle bit. Also a pic of the matching martingale with 3" silver concho we made him. He's riding Huero (Blondie in Spanish).
Tapadero was standing next to me and was watching this run. "When Logan does the groundwork those calves don't stand a chance", he said. Logan is about 6"4" and 250 plus as a working cowboy on huge outfits, he does this by the 1,000s.
Well Jannine and I didn't make the finals but Logan and Easton did. Top 30 teams come back on Sunday. Here's Nichole talking to Logan and Katie his fiancee. Easton is horseback behind and they are waiting their turn in the finals. They were sitting 13th going into the finals.
Huero listening in the conversation between Tapadero and Logan as they talk bits.
They got er done but had a rough time in a couple of the finals runs. They ended 16th over all when all said and done.
There's that pink rope we sold that young man. Now thats pretty wolfy:
Big brother has his new Horsewright knife and sheath on.
Hope ya enjoyed a little tour of this cowboy world. Questions and comments always welcome.
