to Spin To Win Rodeo"s Tack and Saddle Guide

Special Advertising Section
Spin To Win Rodeo’s
Saddle and Tack Guide
Every roper knows how important it is for a horse to work to his potential. The wrong bit here, a
poor-fitting saddle there adds up to seconds lost in the arena. That’s why we’ve gathered the industry’s
top saddle, saddle pad and tack manufacturers in one spot for you, the reading roper, to compare and
contrast. Once you know your options, you can get the right outfit to help your horse work to the best of
his ability, shave seconds from your time and keep making trips to the pay window. By Julie Mankin
CACTUS SADDLERY
The official saddle of the World
Series of Team Roping, WTRC,
ACTRA and PRCA has long
supported rodeo and the team roping
industry. As makers of the world
champion trophy saddles, Cactus
prides itself on having the pulse on the
industry and keeping up-to-date with
the needs of competitors.
Record-smasher Trevor Brazile
and defending NFR average winner
Clay O’Brien Cooper both ride
Cactus. Feedback from them and
newly crowned world champ Chad
Masters helps the company better fit
its saddles to horses and give ropers a
competitive advantage. In fact, Cactus
recently overhauled its Chad Masters
Team Roper.
“Chad wanted a saddle that would
allow him to get to the front as quickly
as possible, but not make him feel as
though he was riding downhill,” says
Cactus production manager Webb
Fortenberry. “He also insisted on a
tree that fit a wide variety of horses
and packed a lifetime warranty.”
The redesigned version still has a
low profile and fits close to a horse’s
back, but the new tree and ground
seat will help you get to the front of
the saddle for a quick throw. The tree
will fit a variety of horses and provide
all-day comfort in the arena or out on
the ranch.
(866) 605-6567,
cactussaddlery.com
April 2013 spintowinrodeo.com
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Spin To Win Rodeo’s
Saddle and Tack
Guide
Special Advertising Section
BAR H EQUINE
REINSMAN
CACTUS
GEAR
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Bar H Equine builds a complete line
of custom and stock saddles, including the
new Ryan Motes Signature Team Roper,
pictured here and designed exclusively by
two-time NFR heeler and world-record
holder Ryan Motes.
A few modifications set this saddle
apart, including extra-wide fenders,
special cutouts in the skirt for better
contact with the horse and an easy-access
hoof pick holder on the stirrup. With an
antique finish, palm tooling, lariat border
and oil tanned leather seat, this saddle’s
not only durable; it’s pleasing to the eye.
“I took all the things I liked from the
saddles I’ve ridden and rolled them into
one to get a real sturdy, using-type of
saddle that’s still affordable,” says Motes.
“It has the standards I want and I think
everybody wants.”
Motes is also a fan of the way the
saddle fits a variety of horses, and says
he’s proud to ride with Bar H—a familyowned company based in Weatherford,
Texas. The hard-working folks at Bar H
have spent five generations in the livestock
business and over a decade in the tack
industry. Their tack is available through
more than 600 authorized dealers across
the U.S. and Canada, as well as several
foreign countries.
Reinsman was actually founded as a
bit company. While its product offering
has expanded greatly over the years,
bits remain the core of the brand. This
year as the company refocuses on its
roots with the “Reinsman Revolution,”
you can expect several new bits perfect
for team ropers, plus a new five-stage
selection system that helps you find the
perfect bit depending on your horse’s
experience level and whether you’re
heading, heeling or roping calves.
“It’s about achieving effective
communication and control in each
individual situation,” saya marketing
manager Vanessa Wright. “In addition
to the stages system, you can find
detailed usage information on the back
of each Reinsman bit tag.”
One new bit in particular is the
Change Up, featuring a more forwardplaced mouthpiece for a quicker signal
and more lift that provides a faster,
more precise stop. Another, called the
Boxer, offers a chain mouthpiece that
helps a horse break at the poll and use
his hind end for stronger turns and more
powerful stops. They come with swivel
cheek pieces for more lateral flexion and
a high-port version for a horse that gets
strong in your hand.
Bring on the Revolution.
A fresh new brand hit the team roping
industry this season in Cactus Gear.
The line of equine leg protection, fly
protection and horse blankets that was
formerly Pro Equine has been re-branded
to match its sister companies, Cactus
Ropes and Cactus Saddlery.
“What we found was that our retailers
and customers didn’t realize we were
affiliated with Cactus Ropes and Cactus
Saddlery,” says general manager Steve
Coder. “To strengthen that association, it
made sense to roll it all together with the
new name brand.”
Not only has the brand name
improved, but Cactus Gear’s Axiom sport
boots now feature improved internal
foam, a new angle on the patented
sling and a fresh design for fool-proof
placement. Also, the “bullet proof ” bell
boot has the Armortex Strike Plate at the
back to absorb and deflect impact without
tearing or scuffing.
Providing feedback on all Cactus Gear
products is an esteemed crew of athletes
that includes Chad Masters, Clay Tryan,
Brenda Mays and Travis Graves. The folks
at Cactus Gear are excited to roll out several
other new products this summer. Also,
expect to see some brand-new items from
Trevor Brazile’s Relentless line, including a
new bell boot called the Strikeforce and an
innovative leather skid boot.
(877) 594-9820, barhequine.com
(800) 548-2487, reinsman.com
(800) 411-1986, cactusgear.com
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Spin To Win Rodeo’s
Saddle and Tack Guide
Special Advertising Section
BEST EVER
PADS
Jade Corkill won his
first world championship in
December aboard a Best Ever
saddle pad. Corkill, who’s been riding the
pads for seven years, likes the way they form to his
horse’s back and loves their longevity. Ten other NFR team
ropers saddled up with the pads at last year’s NFR, and Best Ever is
also the official saddle pad of the Bob Feist Invitational.
The product is the brainchild of Ryan and Tammy White—
both PRCA team ropers from California’s Central Coast. Tammy,
a two-time California Circuit Finals Rodeo header, and Ryan, a
six-time qualifier on the heel end, have two little boys now that,
together with the thriving business, have somewhat curtailed their
competition schedule.
Best Ever pads are made by hand in America of 100 percent
wool or polyester-blend felt and in the past year the offering has
expanded to include a line featuring fleece bottoms and a closed-cell
foam insert for high-withered or older rope horses.
The unique aspect of these pads are the wear leathers that you
can customize by choosing from among 55 varieties including
ostrich, crocodile and stingray hide along with cowhide, plus
crystals, hand-painting and tooling. The customization option
makes Best Ever popular for gift-givers and producers looking for
great prizes, too.
(805) 528-8009, besteverpads.com
COURTS SADDLERY
One of the nation’s oldest saddle shops
(it’s been in the same family 57 years)
is still producing quality saddles and
tack despite a tragic fire in Bryan,
Texas, that burned it to the ground
two years ago.
“We’re looking forward to getting
back to a normal routine,” says Kathy Court, who will open the
doors of a new facility this spring. “We’ve been in what’s called
‘survival mode’ since January 2011. However, our devastating
fire brought us to a new appreciation for the loyalty of many,
many family, friends, customers and our industry. It’s sometimes
still overwhelming, but we’re moving forward.”
The Court family and their employees, some of whom
have been on board more than 30 years, have been serving the
performance-horse industry since they introduced the wildly
popular Dee Pickett Roper and Sharon Camarillo’s favorite
saddle decades ago.
Today, the contemporary Competitor Series, endorsed by
nine-time NFR header David Key, offers fun options with more
new styles on the horizon.
“We’re truly blessed at what’s been accomplished over the
years and look forward to serving the horse industry for years to
come,” says Court.
(800) 800-5598, courtsaddlery.com
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‘
The CSI Flex-Plate® Saddlepad
(877) 274-7230
www.csipads.com
Jeff Smiths Cowboy Collection
Custom Build your Saddle Today!
(660) 638-4274 • (816) 716-8491
Ropping
Saddle
JS-72
$2199
“RIDE IT, TRY IT,
AND GET IT DIRTY”
• Patented technology — CSI Flexplate
money back guarantee.
• Creates a larger footprint for the
saddle tree.
• Evenly disperses rider’s weight and
bar pressure.
• Disperses the impact that occurs
while riding.
The CSI Flex-Plate creates a larger footprint
for the saddle tree to evenly distribute
saddle bar pressure, riders weight, and the
impact that occurs while riding.
All CSI saddle pads are 100% made with
pride in the USA and come with a 30-day
money back guarantee.
(877) 274-7230 • www.csipads.com
LOOK WHO IS RIDING A CSI Saddlepad!
PRCA ropers KC Jones, Coleman Proctor, Jake Rodriguez, Dakota Eldridge, Bill Beard, Steven Britnell and Chris Wooten.
Win a Free Custom Saddle of your Choice.
Free Saddle Drawing is May 1st 2013
see our website for details.
,
Jeff Smiths
COWBOY COL L ECT ION
CUSTOM SADDLES
972.563.3300
jeffsmithscowboycollection.com
11300 FM 148, Terrell, TX 75160
Jeff Cell: 972-897-2193
Find us on:
Spin To Win Rodeo’s
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Special Advertising Section
COWBOY CLASSIC SADDLERY
In today’s era of umbrella companies and automated operators, it’s refreshing to
know that when you call Cowboy Classic, M.L. or Cheyenne Wimberley will answer
your call. Cowboy Classic’s founders are life-long ropers who have operated the
company themselves for decades and touch every saddle that goes out the door of their
shop near Stephenville, Texas.
“When we got into the business, we wanted to make a saddle that was affordable
but kept the horse and rider in mind,” says Cheyenne, a former NFR qualifier. “We
wanted the saddle to fit close to the horse and keep the rider in position to rope.”
The ground seat design allows close contact with your horse and the location where
the stirrup fenders are hung keeps you perfectly balanced to reach as well as sit deep for
a rate or stop. Also, the tree incorporates smaller, flatter bars flared in front to clear a
horse’s shoulders and also in the rear to avoid pinching as you log a steer.
Not only are Cowboy Classic saddles made by actual competitors, but they’re priced
in three categories to fit every budget.
(888) 483-9921, cowboyclassicsaddlery.com
WEAVER LEATHER
THE PROTECTOR
Celebrating its
40th anniversary this
year, Weaver Leather
remembers its early
days as Fryburg Shoe
Shop—the company
founded by Harry A.
Weaver in 1973. The small shoe
repair shop has grown into a worldclass manufacturer of leather and
nylon products, but continues
Harry’s promise to exceed the
expectations of its customers,
employees and community.
“Part of Weaver Leather’s 40
years of success comes from being
in tune with the equine industry,”
says marketing manager Laura
Rich. “Many of our employees
are lifelong horse owners, and
we also align ourselves with
professional horsemen and women
for advice on product trends, testing
and information.”
One of Weaver Leather’s newest
offerings includes the classy Barbed Wire
Collection, which got a makeover this season that
includes oiled skirting leather construction to better bring
out the design, as well as double row stitching, updated
styling and specialty hardware with fresh black accents.
Three styles of hand tooled headstalls are available in
split-ear or browband designs. Complete your style by adding
the breast collar, noseband and reins to match at your local
retailer or when you order online.
On our February cover featuring NFR average winner Clay
O’Brien Cooper low-fiving Chad Masters in the Thomas and
Mack Center, you may have noticed Cooper’s attractive saddle
pad. But what you didn’t see was the flexible body-armor-type
material underneath the felt.
“That pad was one of our real fancy models with a lot of
gold star conchos,” says Len Brown, inventor of The Corrector.
“Clay’s been riding a Corrector for a long time and now he has
the Protector.”
The Corrector is a patented system of four flexible, ventilated
shields within the pad that mold to your horse’s back. It was
named for the way it corrects design flaws in your saddle’s fit, but
it also distributes weight more evenly than a regular pad and helps
stabilize your saddle.
Now, Rickey Green is a fan of the Protector—a $30 upgrade
to the Corrector package that incorporates more space-age
materials and results in a lighter, stronger pad.
“It has a 3/8-inch spacer material under the protective shields
that provides great ventilation but that won’t collapse,” says
Brown. “I’m always looking for new technology. I found this
material a few years ago and it works great as an insert. Now you
not only can correct your saddle, but protect your horse.”
(330) 674-1782, ridethebrand.com
(816) 625-0333, thecorrector.net
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RIDE LIKE
RYAN
Spin To Win Rodeo’s
Saddle and Tack Guide
Special Advertising Section
SOFT-RIDE EQUINE
COMFORT BOOTS
Fans at rodeos this spring are likely to see more and more
timed-event horses tied to trailers wearing what look like black
tennis shoes, but are actually Soft-Ride boots fitted snugly on
their feet. Each pair features an orthotic gel insert that reduces
shock and vibration over long hours in the trailer and provides
cushioning and support if a horse is stalled on asphalt or concrete
at a big weekend roping.
The sole of the boot offers plenty of grip, so your horse also
has great traction if you need to unload him on wet asphalt or if
he’s penned on slippery footing. The boots can be worn all night
like slippers, or all day in the trailer or stall.
Not only that, but the interchangeable gel inserts come in four
densities for therapeutic purposes if your horse struggles with
laminitis or is recovering from an abscess or surgery. Twelve sizes
are available to fit anything from a mini-horse to a Warmblood,
and the boots work on shod or unshod horses.
For reducing fatigue, enhancing performance and helping treat
and prevent injury, Soft-Ride is the way to go.
(855) 763-8743, softrideboots.com
STRAIGHT TIME STIRRUPS
The official stirrups of the
World Series of Team Roping
are a hit with ropers, ranchers
and mounted shooters who
crave balance and comfort
in the saddle. The patented
design is said to alleviate stress
on your feet, ankles, knees
and back while also making
it easier to cue your horse for
better performance.
The top of the stirrup is angled to allow the tread to hang
parallel with the ground, the way your foot wants to hang while
you’re in the saddle. In addition, the shape of the stirrup hanger rod
gives you added stability when you put your weight in the stirrups.
Barrel racers can expect a brand-new model out later this spring
from Straight Time Stirrups, which makes each of their nine sizes
of stirrups in the USA using heat-treated, aircraft-grade aluminum.
You can choose from among 15 different styles including
burnished, powder-coated, copper/nickel, custom hand-engraved
or leather-covered. “We can do just about anything you can dream
up,” says owner Joe Godoy.
He also recently launched Skeet, Trap and Sporting Clays
(www.STSClays.com) through which you can order premium
leather belts and shell pouches.
(520) 424-3417, straighttimestirrups.com
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Cowboy Classic Saddlery
Family Owned
and Operated
by M.L., Christi,
and Cheyenne
Wimberley
Bill Pace - N
FR Qualifier
Specializing in
custom and trophy
saddles priced for
every budget
alifier
rley - 2x NFR Qu
Cheyenne Wimbe
M.L., and Cheyenne
Wimberley
P.O. Box 123 Tolar, TX 76476
888-483-9921 | 254-592-4709 (mobile)
www.cowboyclassicsaddlery.com
Spin To Win Rodeo’s
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COWBOY COLLECTION
CSI SADDLEPADS
Rather than riding a
generic saddle or one
boasting some other
cowboy’s name,
wouldn’t you like
one that fits your
personality, which
you basically built
yourself ?
“Every horse
person has his or
her own unique
expression,” says John
Elliott, the manager at
Jeff Smith’s Cowboy
Collection Tack and
Arena. “You can call us
up and order your saddle
and customize it yourself—without paying that custom price. Plus,
you’ll get it in six to eight weeks time.”
The facility just east of Dallas not only houses the region’s
premier indoor arena (hosting truck ropings, barrel races and
more), but also contains a 7,000-square-foot tack and Western
store filled with products for team ropers.
This is where Jeff Smith and company have their Signature
Collection of saddles—without charging extra for most tooling
options and custom hardware. The biggest bonus is that you
never have to worry about ordering a brand-new saddle and being
disappointed when you throw it on your horse the first time.
“Our trees fit almost every horse, but we also have what we
call the ‘Try and Ride’ 30-day program,” says Elliott. “If you
get that saddle and it’s not fitting you right or fitting your horse
right, send it back and we’ll work it over or go with something
else so that you’re happy.”
CSI Saddlepads has been making pads by hand right here in
America for more than a decade.
The company’s patented CSI flex-plate is designed to disperse
saddle bar pressure by creating a larger footprint for the rider’s
weight to be distributed over the horse’s back. With pressure
points eliminated, the horse has the ability for greater range of
motion and consequently, a better performance.
The shock-absorbing material of the pad will absorb the
concussion your horse feels from the saddle, as well as the
ascending concussion you might feel coming up through your
seat bones.
The CSI pad is a two-part system and that’s what guarantees
its longevity. The liner is made of 100 percent needled wool
and is removable, reversible, and replaceable. Plus, each pad
comes with a 30 day “ride it, try it, and get it dirty” money-back
guarantee.
Glance at the thermal imaging photo and you’ll see the inside
of a CSI pad after a hard ride. The red color shows how evenly
the weight was distributed along the flex-plate. It’s likely that the
more comfortable your horse is, the faster he can do his job.
(972) 563-3300, jeffsmithscowboycollection.com
(660) 638-4274, csipads.com
CIRCLE Y
After more than 50 years, Circle Y is still combining state-of-the-art technology
with traditional hand-crafting out of tiny Yoakum, Texas.
It recently partnered with the Ultimate Calf Roping organization to create
its newest offering, the 1251 Xtreme Performance UC Calf Roper. It’s hard to
beat a saddle designed by competitive calf ropers and engineered to fit today’s
calf horses.
The Calf Roper features a Kevlar-reinforced tree that carries a lifetime
warranty (Kevlar is five times stronger than steel) and is hand-tooled. Check out its
hand-stitched bindings, buck-stitched quilted seat and custom UC Roping conchos.
This saddle is part of the Xtreme Performance line that you can completely customize
down to the amount of tooling, tooling pattern, color, size, seating (genuine exotic leathers as
well as faux finishes), cantle style, stirrup style, and upgrades like dots, special conchos, painted
backgrounds, crystal trim, and more. All XP saddles are hand-tooled and come with a lifetime
warranty on the tree.
(800) 531-3600, circley.com
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COATS SADDLERY
The Official Stirrups of the
Starting at $69.99 with FREE Ground Shipping to the USA
StraightTimeStirrups.com
[email protected]
(520) 424-3417
PO Box 1120 • Stanfield, AZ 85172
Ropers respect Larry Coats as a
saddle maker not only for the
37 years he’s invested in the
industry, but also because he’s
a team roper himself. Coats’
saddles have a reputation
for fitting a horse—and he’s
even found a way to make
them fit better.
“I have a new tree that’s
been out about eight months
that’s really working well,” says
Coats, who builds 100 percent of
each saddle in Texas.
He now offers saddles in three
different “spreads.” By changing the degree
of rock in the rear of the tree, Coats made his saddle fit better on
horses that today feature fatter loins and more slope in their backs.
“The front of a tree is easy to fit,” Coats says. “I want a saddle
to set down in back for a more balanced ride, so its weight is
distributed more evenly and you have no dry spots.”
That same concept is behind Coats’ new Balance Pad, which
incorporates thinner material under the bars and built-up padding
under the skirt for more even contact with the saddle all the way
around—eliminating movement of the saddle and resulting friction.
(325) 651-5080, coatssaddlery.com
FAST TIME BITS
When a 15-time world champion on reined cow horses
designs a new bit, you know how well it’s been tested. The
best part is that renowned clinician Les Vogt is also “a very
passionate low-numbered heeler” and his new Fast Time bits
were developed especially for team ropers (they’re also a big hit
with barrel racers).
Vogt feels that when your rope horse argues with your hands,
it can distract you and impair your delivery.
“These bits were specifically designed to take the effort out
of guiding your horse and help him score better, break flatter
and rate easier—giving you more accuracy,” says Vogt.
The bit’s unique leverage action invites a lower head-set in
your horse and helps him relax, because he can feel your hand
start to move before the curb pressure hits him.
“When your horse figures out he can avoid the curb, he just
starts melting off the bit,” says Vogt.
The bit comes in one of six different mouthpieces complete
with curb strap and a lifetime guarantee. Here’s the best part—if
in the first 30 days you think you chose the wrong mouthpiece,
send it back. They’ll exchange it for one that’s a better fit.
(805) 455-0162, lesvogt.com
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