besT of The WesT - American Cowboy

America's
best
of The
West
These 43 items of gear are cowboy, and they are American. What more do you want?
To honor companies that invest here, we gathered all the great products we’re longing
for now—from boots and hats to jeans, buckles, and shirts.
Put your money where your heart is: Buy “Made in the U.S.A.” By Thea Marx
AmericanCowboy.com August/September 2013 59
best e
of Tsht
We
Black Jack
To satisfy their traditional customers, Black Jack
makes handmade boots for the working cowboy.
Started 17 years ago by four brothers, Black Jack
Boots is also known for setting fashion trends.
The brothers don’t hold back when incorporating
fashion cues into their boots, like color, texture,
and styles from the international market.
Women’s Python Triad Vintage,
$599; 888-815-8838, kokopellinh.com
Back at the Ranch
What started out as a store full of
Western kitsch that carried used cowboy
boots has evolved into one of the largest
retailers of custom cowboy boots. Owner
Wendy Lane Henry is a Miami native
who ran a high-end fashion boutique in
New York City before founding Back at
the Ranch in 1990. She now owns her
own factory in El Paso where each and
every boot is made by hand.
Stars & Stripes, $2,598; 888-962-6687,
backattheranch.com
Wilson Boot Company
Working some of the largest ranches in
Wyoming, Virgil Babione would ride at
a trot for miles in oxbow stirrups. He
found that Wilsons were the only boots
that he could wear comfortably under
that kind of pressure, so he and his wife
Paula bought Wilson Boot Company
in Livingston, Mont. Two-tone Babione’s
Wilson Boots work boots, starting at $645;
406-222-3842, wilsonboots.com
60 August/September 2013 AmericanCowboy.com
Caboots
For four generations the Sanchez family has been making
cowboy boots. Joey and his wife
Priscilla are now at the helm of
Caboots, the family business
that started more than 75 years
ago when Joey’s great-grandfather came to this country
from Leon, Mexico. He worked
alongside Tony Lama at Fort
Bliss and, like Lama, passed
his trade onto his children and
grandchildren, who have created
a boot company that makes
boots for working cowboys—
and for anyone who wants to
look like one.
The Extraordinaire,
$1,500; 915-544-1855,
caboots.com
Double H Boot
Double H Boot Company began in 1955 in Richland, Pa., making cowboy boots and what they
called a “snoot boot.” In the 1970s, their production was almost exclusively Western boots. Double
H was the first to manufacture cowboy boots with
safety toes. Most of the Western dress and work
Western styles are made in Womelsdorf, Pa.
ICE Saddle Vamp Work Roper boots,
$210; 888-835-4004, sheplers.com
GREELEY HAT WORKS
Once known as “The Shining
Parlor,” Greeley Hat Works started
in 1909 and has been a fixture of
the Greeley, Colo., community
and the world-wide hat business
for more than 100 years. Today’s
owner, Trent Johnson, creates
custom, fashion-minded hats and
genuine classics of excellent quality. Call for prices; 888-367-2428,
greeleyhatworks.com
Milano Hats
Started by Italian immigrant
John Milano in 1983, Milano
Hats has become a serious
industry presence known for
their Larry Mahan line as well
as their involvement with the
PBR. The company’s state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility
is headquartered in Garland,
Texas, and is led by John’s son
Richard. Larry Mahan 30X
Lawton, $57; 214-342-0071,
milanohats.com
Durango Custom Hats & Saddles
Melissa Lewis-Barnes of Durango
Custom Hats & Saddles calls upon her
Navajo and family cowboy heritage to
create one-of-a-kind hats, like the Shilo.
This hat has a Navajo Ganado rug design
painted on the top of the brim and the
underside, as well as a hand-beaded
hatband with miniature Navajo rugs.
$1,900; 970-903-0585,
durangocustomhatsandsaddles.com
Bailey Hat Co.
The George S. Bailey Hat Company
began in 1922 and was one of the first
hatters to use celebrities as ambassadors.
Now owned by Bollman Hat Company,
Bailey Hat Co. is a thriving American business. President Don Rongione
also launched American Made Matters
(americanmadematters.com) to support
American-made products. Cortez 13604,
$55; 800-859-4653, baileyhats.com
American Hat Company
In 1915, Russian immigrant Sam Silver
opened the American Hat Company in
Houston, Texas. In 2003, Keith Maddox (a Western clothing guru who had
worked for many of the major brands)
bought the company and moved it to
Bowie, Texas. Today the company makes
100,000 hats and works with the Wounded Warrior Project and the Texas Rangers
law enforcement. American Buckaroo,
$295; 307-527-7300,
customcowboyshop.com
Shorty’s Caboy Hattery
Shorty “Lavonna” Kroger loved to rodeo.
She ran barrels and rode bulls, but then
an injury forced her to find another outlet for her energy. Upon opening a Western store, she learned the hat business
and taught herself how to shape hats. She
now makes custom hats out of her store
in The Stockyards in downtown Oklahoma City for competitors and working
cowboys alike. Shorty’s Caboy Hattery,
Nicole hat, $800–$1,000; 405-232-4287,
shortyshattery.com
AmericanCowboy.com August/September 2013 61
best e
of Tht
Wes
Shane Hendren
Navajo master metalsmith and artist Shane Hendren has spent his lifetime working at his craft and living the Western lifestyle in his home state of New Mexico.
This father of four is a team roper, bull rider, and horse trainer. He pushes the
boundaries of jewelry design by incorporating designs and techniques rooted in his
Navajo heritage and with advanced techniques such as Mokume Gane and engraving. The Indian Arts and Crafts Association awarded Hendren the 2007 Artist
of the Year. Hand-engraved cufflinks in sterling silver with natural Sleeping Beauty
turquoise, $410; 505-883-0301, shanehendren.com
ZPT
Silversmiths Zan and
Patience Traughber
have been making
silver pieces together
since 1990. ZPT is an
official licensee for the
Pendleton Round-Up,
creating custom “Let ’er
Buck” silver pieces for
the iconic rodeo as well
as many contemporary
silver pieces inlaid with
precious jewels.
Sterling silver pendant with gold, $300;
541-276-4220,
zptsilversmiths.com
Silversmyth
Texas-based Julie Hiltbrunner of
Silversmyth dreams of life as a
pioneer woman on the Western
plains. She creates fine silver jewelry in a Western state of mind
while she waits for the bread to
rise for baking or the cheese to
drain on the clapboard. Horseshoe
necklace (open to the top for good
luck) cast in fine silver (99%),
$88; 817-456-4432,
silversmyth.com
6 2 August/September 2013 AmericanCowboy.com
Meredith Lockhart
The daughter of a
professional musician and jewelry
designer, Meredith
Lockhart designs
couture fashion for
the runway, rodeo
queens, and country
music artists. She
creates her contemporary jewelry in
her studio on her
Kansas farm. Hammered bronze cuff
with Emerald Valley
turquoise, $650;
913-886-2247,
meredithlockhart.com
Gist Silversmiths
As the youngest member to join the RCAPRCA at 12, Gary Gist was a team roper
and won his fair share of trophy buckles
before making them for Western organizations and individuals. After a tour in Vietnam, Gist learned the craft of silversmithing and started his one-man shop in 1967.
Gist Silversmiths of Placerville, Calif.,
has more than 100 employees. From the
Champion Minted Collection, $322; 800456-4478, gistsilversmiths.com
Pueblo Direct
Started by New Mexicans David and
Karen Hooks, Pueblo Direct sold its first
pieces on Ebay in 2000. Today, the company has grown and is run by Karen, her
brother Drew, and his wife Lindsey. They
visit the state’s many Pueblos and go to
shows to find new pieces and talented
artists. Bear paw design buckle with coral
and turquoise stones set in sterling by Navaho maker, Wilbert Muskett, Sr., $360;
877-252-8370, pueblodirect.com
Old Cowdogs
The brainchild of silver- and goldsmith
Bill Reynolds, Old Cowdogs of Carson
City, Nev., is a good source for classic
Pacific Slope bridle horse silver featuring
classic, original tooling. Los Osos buckle,
sterling silver with 14K reata, $795; 805693-5406, oldcowdogs.com
American Spur Company Raised in Oregon on a farm with cattle, Gene Conrad
and his wife bought the American Spur Company in Ronan, Mont., in 2004. Their
spurs are machined in Gene’s shop, and he is a one-man show, building spurs for
working cowboys, the rodeo set, and those in the show ring. Starting at $300; 800216-8536, americanspurs.com
Nate Wald
Lodge Grass, Mont., rancher Nate Wald taught himself the art of rawhide braiding in
1989 and was named Braider of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists in 2007.
Meanwhile, Wald and his wife, TJ, still run cattle and raise American Quarter Horses.
Rawhide has been used for thousands of years to create items for daily living, and its
durability and strength are highly valued in today’s Western industry. Wald creates rawhide items that are not just beautiful, but functional. These double button hobbles have
Trenza Patria flat-braided cuffs and are laced with intricate edge braiding; the sterling
silver connector ring is by Wilson Capron. $6,600; 406-639-2219, natewald.com
Victoria Boyd
Cinch tying and weaving
are old traditional cowboy arts, and Victoria
Boyd celebrates her love
of horses and ranch life
with the art. She uses
100-percent American
mohair that she custom dyes. Her favorite
buckle is the Visalia
made by Bork & Sons
in Washington State.
$225; 916-996-4437,
badgercreekarts.com
Vince Donley
Vince Donley
learned how to
braid from a book
35 years ago. Today, this Wyoming
cowboy continues
to make traditional braided pieces
for the working
cowboy as well
as more artistic
pieces for collectors and show horses. He is inspired by
braider Jack Shepard and encouraged by
the Western families of Don Butler, Don
King, and Buck Brannaman. Working
bosal ¼-3/4”, starting at $140; 307-5277300, customcowboyshop.com
Mike Capron
Mike Capron
creates bits and
spurs that reflect
his ranching
background in
Midland, Texas.
Holding an ag
business degree
from Texas A&M,
this family man
has a love of horsemanship and roping
and was named 2008 Spur Maker and
Engraver of the Year by the Academy of
Western Artists. TCAA Loop Bit, $8,000;
432-570-8552, wilsoncapron.com
Tom Balding
Once a precision
fabricator in the
aerospace and
sailing industries,
Tom Balding
made his first
bit by putting
together scrap
sailboat parts.
Now a fixture
in the world of
riders and collectors, Tom Balding remains the go-to
guy for bits and spurs in the Western
industry. Sheridan Hinge Port With Roller,
$440; 307-672-8459, tombalding.com
Ron and Shoni
Maulding
Horsehair hitching is not braiding, but a series
of knots, and
considerably more
time consuming
(ergo the crazy
price). Ron and
Shoni Maulding are the foremost authorities on this
obscure craft, which was traditionally
practiced by cowboys, American Indians,
Mexicans, sheepherders—and prison
inmates, for whom it was a hobby program in territorial prisons of the West.
This headstall took six months to create.
Mariposa Lapwai headstall, $17,900;
509-738-6944, hitchedhorsehair.com
AmericanCowboy.com August/September 2013 6 3
best e
of Tsht
We
American Gusset
Made by skilled workers in Blue Ridge, Ga.,
American Gusset jeans are different from the rest
of the jeans on a shelf. Why? Because these jeans
have a sewn-in gusset for more room and comfort
when sitting or riding. Woman’s Backstage Jean,
$60; 888-848-7738, americangusset.com
All American Clothing Company
Owner Lawson Nickol took the bull
by the horns and started making jeans
himself after seeing production move
offshore. That was the beginning of
All American Clothing Company in
Arcanum, Ohio. It was hardscrabble the
first years, but the company continues to
grow and allows customers to trace their
jeans all the way back to the American
farmers who grew the cotton used.
Chasity Mid-Rise Bootcut Jean, $70;
888-937-8009, allamericanclothing.com
Schaefer Outfitters
Made from the finest homegrown,
raw materials, these jeans are made by
one of America’s last full-line apparel
manufacturers, Schaefer Outfitters. In
the beginning, they made down vests
with Western yokes; today, a full line of
American-made Western apparel bears
the Schaefer name. 1950 Ladies Original
Ranch Hand Dungarees, $60; 800-4262074, schaefer-ranchwear.com
64 August/September 2013 AmericanCowboy.com
Certified Jeans
With environmental sustainability
in mind, on both the manufacturing and growing side, partners in a
clothing company decided to tackle
making organic cotton jeans. With
organic cotton from California growers and a low impact indigo dye they
went to work, their intent to create a
high-quality product and give organic
growers a market for their cotton. It
worked. Certified Jeans was born.
C4U Skinny Jeans 2% spandex, 98%
organic cotton, American-made jeans,
$168–188; 206-286-9685,
cforyouapparel.com
Texas Jeans
Despite the name, Texas Jeans are made in North Carolina, once the textile capital of America. For thirty-five
years and running, this American company continues
to create jeans and jobs. With innovative pockets and
stretch, Texas Jeans channels the Americana vibe made
with 100-percent American components. Ladies stretch
jeans, $34; 336-629-3018, texasjeans.com
American Gusset
David Hall wanted to follow the American
Dream and he did. In 1987 he started his own
company, a small blue jean manufacturing
company with an emphasis on being 100 percent
American-made. American Gusset and David’s
designs are unique in the industry and prioritize
extra comfort. Men’s Backstage Slim Bootleg, $60;
888-848-7738, americangusset.com
Round House Garment Company
In 1903, Oklahoma was still Indian Territory, and Teddy Roosevelt was President. Henry Ford was designing his first
automobile, and 100 or more trains a
day roared through the town of Shawnee,
bringing settlers, workers, and materials. The need for tough work wear was
apparent and Round House Garment
Company was created to satisfy those
needs—and does to this day. $37; 888835-4004, sheplers.com Texas Jeans
This North Carolina-based jean maker
originally started in 1978 making jeans
that were primarily sold in 48 stores
along the Atlantic seaboard. Today, Texas
Jeans employs more than 200 people in
its Asheboro plant, making jeans that
are 100 percent American including all
components. Original Fit Jean, $35; 336629-3018, texasjeans.com
Schaefer
Born in the era when ski instructors
in Steamboat Springs, Colo., still
wore cowboy hats, the predecessor
to Schaefer Outfitters created down
vests with Western yokes to be worn
on the slopes and on the ranch.
When founder Cub Schaefer moved
to Jackson, Wyo., in the 1980s and
established Schaefer Outfitters, his
full-length dusters flew off the shelf.
Now based in New Mexico, the company is one of the last full-line apparel manufacturers in the U.S. 1800
American Denim Original Ranch
Hand Dungaree, $60; 800-426-2074,
schaefer-ranchwear.com.
Buddy’s Jeans
Buddy’s Jeans were born after cowboy Buddy Steverson
found that his jeans didn’t stand up to the kind of work
he was doing. After finding twisted seams and holes in
his pockets soon after purchase, he endeavored to make
a jean that would last. After 39 years in the manufacturing business, Buddy Steverson, now 80, still comes by
the company’s main office in New Hebron, Miss., in his
namesake jeans and with spurs on. $40; 877-275-4283,
buddysjeans.com
AmericanCowboy.com August/September 2013 65
best e
of Tsht
We
Barranada
In Spanish, barranada literally means “bar none.” Originally,
the brand of shirts carried the company owner’s family brand,
which was the zero with a line drawn through it. As a successful brand recognized by those in the horse industry from coast
to coast, American-made Barranada clothes are recognized by
vibrant colors and beautiful fabrics. Owners Gene and Barbara
Graves are also very involved in the American Quarter Horse
Association. The Cobalt, $130; 866-693-2323, barranada.com
Schaefer Outfitters
Schaefer Outfitters has clients from Germany to Japan and
has ridden the various waves of Western fashion crazes, like the
full-length duster look popularized by Urban Cowboy (1980).
The company still uses local ranch models and sources American materials. Their products are 100 percent American-made,
including this Ladies Vintage Chisholm shirt.
$60; 800-426-2074, schaefer-ranchwear.com
66 August/September 2013 AmericanCowboy.com
rockmount
There’s no trend-chasing at Rockmount in Denver, Colo. Third
generation owner Steve Weil set his company apart by bringing new fabrics and patterns to the market, while sticking to
classic designs. Celebrities and musicians worldwide don the
company’s designs, some of which are a part of the Smithsonian
Institution’s permanent collection.
$98; 800-776-2566, rockmount.com
Schaefer Outfitters
Western is a distinctive look, and a beautiful shirt
is an (the?) essential part. Classic and true to
functional design, New Mexico-based Schaefer
Outfitters creates distinctive Western wear that is
100 percent American-made with American materials. 7080 Western Classic Button Down Pinpoint,
$100; 800-426-2074, schaefer-ranchwear.com
Jeff Fletcher
Every man needs a good white shirt,
especially one made in America. In
1965, 95 percent of the clothing worn
in America was made here; by 2009, the
figure had dropped to only 5 percent.
Jeff Fletcher is determined to help turn
that figure around one white shirt at a
time. After being a textile designer for
some of the largest names in the fashion
trade, he stepped away to start his own
company in 2001, making shirts that are
exclusively American-made. $80; 800605-6233, whitedressshirts.com
rockmount
Three generations deep into the fashion
industry, the Weil family legacy holds a
special place in Western fashion. Design
elements like saw-tooth pockets and
diamond-shaped snaps helped set Rockmount apart from other shirt companies
early on. These design elements have
been in production for more than 50
years. Men’s Relaxed Fit Denim shirt, $95;
800-776-2566, rockmount.com
Barranada
After admiring the beautiful fabrics
and workmanship of the shirts that
were quickly becoming the standard in the world of horse shows,
Gene and Barbara Graves bought
Barranada. Made with 100-percent
cotton, these American-made shirts
are as good in the boardroom as
they are in the rodeo arena. Black
Diamond, $130; 866-693-2323;
barranada.com
johnson woolen mills
As Vermont as maple syrup, Johnson
Woolen Mills has been in the wool business
for 171 years. Once a place that only combed
and carded raw wool, the company today
creates fine wool clothing and accessories
for some of the biggest names in U.S. retail.
With patterns that are more than a century
old still in use, this is a family operation of
more than four generations. Sterling Mountain shirt, $200; 877-635-9665,
johnsonwoolenmills.com
AmericanCowboy.com August/September 2013 67