Leather, Rawhide, Wood, Steel, Silver, Gold...and a Harp by Pat Sullivan          This display [the display showing the Irish saddle and associated gear] was first shown at Michael Martin Murphy’s West Fest in Vail, Colorado, in the summer of 1999.  It was set up with the fancy artwork, not the gear vendors.  We were privileged to be next to the great western artist, Pete Plastow.  As people passed by, “Is it art?’ was a question we heard more than once.  One artist with more jewelry than sense, discarded humility like an empty beer can and defined what he did as “talent, materials and time pressed to serve a purpose, to delight.”  Well, at least he was mercifully to the point.  The purpose that artist had in mind was sculpture, glass and canvas.  Critics seem to agree that art is in the eye of the viewer.  But if you find yourself a little short of time to visit a museum and perhaps with more practical needs, say to gather cows for the fall shipment, the question of art might not be too pressing.  I have gathered the gear needed to ride that circle and bring them in and then a little extra.  Whether you think that it’s art or not, it would be difficult to round up better gear to the purpose.  While there is a bit of silver and fancy work, the saddle is as tough as they come.  You will find the riata is as strong as any King-made 3/8” scant nylon.  It might take seven sections of pride to use this every day, but don’t doubt that it is up to the task.  I didn’t intend to put all this together, but lets start the story at the beginning. Looking for a Saddle I set out to find a solid working saddle that would stand up to the test of both time and the elements.  After talking with a brace of saddlers and looking at examples of their work, it was pretty easy to choose Bud Shaul out of a small shop in Kuna, Idaho.  Since then, he has moved to Yarnell, Arizona.  Like a lot of the great ones, he taught himself to build a solid saddle, then went on to learn the finer points of carving at Hamley’s Saddlery in Pendleton, Oregon.  I found that Bud was both knowledgeable and easy to talk with.  Usually you find one or the other, seldom both.  After some discussion, some lessons in saddles and an argument or two, I decided to ride what Bud built and settled on an approximate price and schedule.  Bud can build virtually anything, but he prefers the traditional “four-button” buckaroo style with separate front and rear jockeys.  Years of experience have taught him that a 3/4-flat plate rig provides the best balance for the rider and the most comfort for the horse with little chaffing under the cinch.             Agreeing on the quality of the work was easy.  Bud only works with the best material Hermann oak tanned leather draped on the finest tree available. Bud had worked with many tree makers and maintained that Matt Miller in Parkman, Wyoming, built the best.  Bud had some good company in his opinions.  Matt supplied trees for Don King, among others.  Unfortunately, subsequent to this saddle being made, Matt suffered serious injuries in a horse wreck and is currently no longer making trees.  Matt favored the Wade - it’s great for a high withered horse and strong.  He balked at building one more “beer can” horn and suggested the wood-post Guadalajara.  It gets the roping job done better and has some style.  The “shield” on the Wade, wall wrapped in rawhide, provides great roping strength without the weight penalty.  The secret to the unexpected lightness of the saddle was Malt’s skill in carving the wood, then covering, and lacing the rawhide.  The result is beautiful and it seemed a shame to cover Matt’s tree with leather, even with Bud’s carving.  The saddle’s buckaroo style demanded a silver horn cap like a teenage daughter needs a prom dress in the spring.  Bud and I initially looked at commercial caps and conchos.  While they were pretty, the quality of the saddle obliged us to something more.  Bud suggested Ernie Marsh out of Westfall, Oregon.  Ernie isn’t old enough to remember Bob Nolin on the radio, but his skill speaks for itself.  Ernie likes to carve the steel on the bit and spurs as much as the silver.  For a former bull rider, you must agree that Ernie has a light, sweet touch with an engraving chisel. “We don’t come by too many harps…”                 Deciding on the silver led to some of the unique aspects of the gear.  Both Ernie and Bud said they could carve about any design.  I said, “OK, how about a harp?”  Ernie said it best, “You know, we see a lot up here, fiddles and guitars, but we don’t come by too many harps.  Tell you what, give me an example and I’ll give it a shot.”  Ernie didn’t say what he was thinking, “A harp is an unlikely symbol for a saddle.”  Maybe…Maybe not. Ever been to Butte, Montana, on Saint Patrick’s Day?  The design on the seat jockey is the harp and shamrocks and the sun breaking through the storm - the symbol of a group of Irish in America in the mid-nineteenth century.  If you ever have an opportunity to drive Montana Route 89 between Great Falls and Livingston, you’ll pass through the county seat, White Sulfur Springs.  You’re in Meager County and there is little doubt that the only industry is ranching.  With a population of 1,800 and 2,354 square miles, there’s some room for cattle.  Locals savvy visitors quick - they pronounce the county name like it’s spelled instead of the old Irish “Mar’her.”  The story of a county with an Irish name and its namesake could fill a book.  Fifty miles to the west in front of the Montana legislature stands an imposing equestrian statue of a Union general facing toward Canada.  Thomas Francis Meager was the Governor of Montana Territory when ol' Blue led Goodnight steers north.  The inscriptions on the statue’s base tell the story.  Meager was not a politician in the usual sense.  He was a hero on three continents - a revolutionary condemned to death in his own country and an escaped convict.  He volunteered to fight for his adopted country in the War Between the States and organized the renowned Irish Brigade.  After the war, as the governor of Montana, he spoke eloquently for statehood and worked to build the cattle industry. Many of his former soldiers and countrymen followed him west to take up the catch rope or hard-rock miner’s pick when the east gave them no work and little future.  The silver cantle plate carries the names of the saddler, silver maker, tree maker, and the term Tir-na-nOg or “Land of the Sons of 0g.”  It’s a place in the warm western sea between this moment and the setting sun.  It’s best viewed with a drop or two of Irish whiskey on a clear day from the highest mountain in the west of Ireland.  Ah, but that’s entirely another story. The Bit and Spurs. Talking with Ernie about his silver carving brought up the subject of a bit and a pair of spurs.  Like Bud's, Ernie’s strong feelings spring from experience and not some prejudice towards a particular style.  Listening to him talk about working spurs and building a bit with balance convinced me to add a few things to the order.  In his quiet way, Ernie said that he could fit some more work into his schedule.  Ernie has the ability to work with a customer’s desires while keeping to the tradition.  He suggested a classic old spur design, the 1903 Garcia #15, nicknamed the “Dandy.”  A similar one is shown in the 1923 Visalia Stock and Saddle catalog.  The harp is duplicated in a slightly smaller version on the spurs and then on the modified Santa Barbara style bit.  The gold is 10K to add the color yet still be hard enough to take punishment. Rawhide I needed some reins, and no war bag is complete without a catch rope and hobbles.  I’d already spent next year’s house payment, so why not look for the best?  Cindy Beaver braided the Santa Ynez reins and romel to compliment Ernie’s bit and Bud’s headstall.  Mike and Cindy own and operate Sundance Ranch, twenty miles north of Priest River, Idaho.  They raise quarter horses and border collies.  Mike guides in the mountains of northern Idaho.  In their spare time, they twist a little hide.  The eighty-four foot riata, made by Mike, is a special four-eight braid that adds flexibility on the working end.  The honda, also made by Mike, speaks for itself and illustrates both the extraordinary detail and the pride that brought Mike the Academy of Western Artists’ Award as the 1997 Braider of the Year. And, frankly, it looks like Mike doesn’t have to go as far as the ranch house door to find serious competition.  Mike and Cindy completed the set with a matching bosal, quirt, and hobbles. Horsehair, Wool and Ladies’ Touch Certainly no bosal would be complete without a McCarty and I am privileged to have an exquisite 22’ example of Sara Hagel’s work.  Sara is the daughter of the renowned Sheridan saddler, Bob Douglas.  I spent some time trying to figure just how she changed the horsehair pattern continuously from start to finish.  Half a lifetime has passed without understanding just how ladies do the things they do.  It looks like the rest of it won’t reveal any secrets.  The saddle blanket is the work of Sue Glerum, who must have the biggest smile this side of the Missouri.  The colors are those of the Irish flag and represent the island's Catholic and Protestant citizens.  Sue raised and sheared the sheep.  She carded, dyed and spun the wool and finally wove to the purpose.  Like the rest of the gear, it speaks for itself. Putting It All Together I started talking about art and after two pages haven’t answered the question.  I’ll leave that answer to you and the critics.  The men and women who crafted this work simply call themselves “makers.”  Now you might find that this is serious work, well made, but leaving little room for a chuckle or smile.  You’d be wrong.  Just lift the saddle by the horn and look in the gullet.  You can see how Bud added enough humor to put it all together and keep us from taking it all too seriously.  The leprechaun design was the contribution of Linda Bark’Karie, an artist with wonderful skill and ability.  So, in the end, maybe it is art.  I hope you enjoy the work as much as I do. Pat Sullivan Click on photos for larger views. Makers: Bud Shaul Saddles PO Box 804 Yarnell, AZ 85362 (928) 684-2371  Ernie and Terresa Marsh P. 0.  Box 156 Westfall, Oregon 97920 (541) 358-1101 Mike and Cindy Beaver Sundance Ranch Rawhide P.O. Box1538 Hayden, Idaho 83835 (208) 448-1932 Sara Hagel Hagel’s Cowboy Gear P.O. Box 487 Dayton, WY 82833 (307)    655-3275         Sue Glerum Sue’s Wool Arts HC 63, Box 44 Brewster, NE 68821 (308)    547-2400 Linda Bark’Karie 5671 Playa Del Roy, No.I San Jose, CA 95123 (408) 360-8766 Click on these links: Saddles Basic Saddle Saddle Options Irish Saddle