My father was a saddle maker and leather crafter. As a child I started working with leather learning from him while he worked. He instilled in me a love of leatherwork. I grew up around horses becoming a calf roper and going to rodeos. After high school I went to Oklahoma’s Farriers College, started shoeing horses and married my high school sweetheart, Mary Ann. We started making and selling belts and wallets at local rodeos and Horse Auctions. As our family grew we got away from the leatherwork and I turned my interests to artistic Ironwork becoming a master Colonial Blacksmith. Upon moving to Florida 26 years later I went back to my roots and started working with my father again in his Saddle Shop repairing and building saddles. Now I have my own shop here in Bradenton, Florida with my wife Mary Ann and have passed my craft onto my own grown children.