Have you ever wondered how a custom saddle is built? In partnership with Texas saddle maker and PRCA steer wrestler Pat Hooper of Pat Hooper Leatherwrks, I’m proud to walk you through the process from start to finish.
A Saddle is Born: Part One
Horses
The Steer Wrestling Saddle Maker
Pat Hooper may have grown up in east Texas, but he has been a part of rodeo culture all across America. His father James Hooper owned and operated Rawhide Productions and was one of the leading producers in the black rodeo movement of the early 1970s. The rodeos ranged from Memphis to D.C. and attracted greats such as the Bobby Blue Bland and B.B. King to add melody to the magic. These adventures continued at RFK Stadium and even led to a Saudi Arabian sheik calling the elder Hooper and asking him to come produce a rodeo. Pat traveled across the U.S. with his father and followed in his footsteps as a calf roper.
A Cowboy Photographer: Matt Treptow
A native of Sulphur, Oklahoma, Treptow didn’t start out walking the cowboy way. He spent his earlier years with a distinctive skater punk style, enjoying the adrenaline of four wheels over four legs. A time of transition started during junior high when he purchased a film camera at a local pawn shop and quickly became the kid carrying it around and taking pictures of everything in sight. Repetitive practice, paired with YouTube videos and internet tutorials, slowly took him beyond the point and click phase and gave him an interest in furthering his knowledge. His determination and dedication served him well, and his talents began to grow.
Mike Kemp: Back to Being a Bucking Horse Man
When I first met Mike Kemp, he was by the front entrance to the arena of the Stormont Vail Events Center in Topeka, Kansas with a black felt cowboy hat and a presence that seemed to indicate he was an integral part of the passion that keeps rodeo alive.
His dedicated offering of time and talent helps several different rodeo associations and his love for the sport has now led him back into the bucking chutes after a multi-year hiatus.
As a child growing up in Iowa, Mike had an attraction to horses from an early age. He was able to explore this interest and gain exposure to the rodeo world while spending summers with his grandparents and their horses. Rodeo was a family-wide hobby for the Kemps, with his mom’s uncle a competitive roper and his brother David a bareback rider in high school rodeo.
A Spotlight on Dugan Caldwell
If you’ve ever wondered what 14-year-old cowboys do in their free time, it may be shooting armadillos to keep the horse pastures hole free or chasing after the ranch goat “Baaatman” on foot while swinging a rope.
At least, if you’re Dugan Caldwell this might be true. This fun-loving young man is a team roper and budding horse trainer in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
Queen of the Ring
A good queen is well-versed in many areas and shares her passions as a leader in the field. Whether it is dogs or horses, Emm Evaristo is proud to wear the crown.
Not yet 20 years old, Emm has traveled the country as an equestrian competitor, rodeo queen, mustang trainer, and dog handler/breeder.
Growing up, Emm loved watching the Westminster dog show. Her enthusiasm for the show led to her begging her mother to let her get a dog they could take through the ranks. Her mother bought into the dream with the condition that it would have to be a hunting dog for her dad’s sake. So, their search began, and they found themselves enamored with a UKC registered black and tan coonhound named Lulu.
The Maverick of the Rodeo
Maverick Griffin stands out at a rodeo for far more than his leopard print chaps. A young man with great talent in both the bareback and bull riding events, rodeo is Maverick’s happy place.
His story has been riddled with rodeo from the start, attending his first rodeo at just 3 days old. His dad was competing, and the rodeo was not far from the hospital, so Maverick was introduced into the family tradition as the third generation.
The Voice of the Rodeo
If you’ve ever listened to rodeo announcer Charlie McKellips, you’d think he was born announcing rodeos. His natural banter, enthusiasm, and passion for narrating the sport align perfectly with his chosen profession.
The 60th Annual United Rodeo Association Finals
This past weekend, talented cowboys and cowgirls from around the country gathered in Topeka to compete and connect with old friends during the 60th annual United Rodeo Association (URA) Finals. With the support of businesses and individuals sponsoring events, the hospitality of the staff at the Stormont Vail Events Center, and the devoted attitude of its members, the weekend was full of high-quality stock and professional competition in a family friendly environment.
Sterling Drake EP Highway 200
Sterling Drake captures a blend of old time, western, and outlaw music with “Highway 200” Nashville, TN — Drake releases his sophomore EP, Highway 200.
Drake’s lifestyle as a ranch hand shines through in his music, and he infuses his melodies with relatable lyrics, stating he wants to create music that you’d “want to listen to in the feed truck.”
A laid-back, reflective guy, Drake makes a point to tell the honest stories of the struggles facing American ranchers, while also providing stress relief in the form of new dance hall favorites and honkytonk tunes.
