“Art of the Western Saddle” Exhibit in AQHA Hall of Fame and Museum

Running from Jan. 22-July 31, 2010, the north Texas museum offers fans of the West a one-of-a-kind chance to view 16 gorgeous Western saddles dating from the 1800s to the present. The exhibit is titled, “Art of the Western Saddle — A Celebration of Design, Style and Grace” and is based upon an award-winning book of the same name by William C. Reynolds, published in 2004. Including a rare and elegant Sherman Loomis saddle of the 1800s, a few gold and silver adorned Visalia Stock Saddle Company's offerings and numerous highly detailed Edward H. Bohlin Company productions from the 1920s, the saddles in the exhibit are cumulatively valued in excess of $1 million. Despite the impressive figure, the financial amount is not the main draw; the exquisite beauty of every saddle is what captures a viewer's attention. The leather of each saddle in the exhibit is fully tooled, with most also bearing intricate silverwork hand-engraved and chased from horn to cantle to long tapaderos. Some adornments include gold and/or semi-precious stones. From movie stars to wealthy ranchers, the saddles were customized to fit their owners' styles, interests and personalities. One saddle bore silver designs of numerous California Missions. Another showed off hand-chased silver and gold embellishments depicting the history of the oil industry. Suffice it to say, every piece is unique and worthy of long consideration from all sides and angles. It is that quality of workmanship and art that modern saddle makers strive to emulate and even surpass...more