I just returned from Sheridan, WY, where I spent the past four days attending the 2014 Rocky Mountain Leather show and World Leather Debut. The show was great and offered not only a great selection of leather and tools to purchase but also a wide variety of courses pertaining to the leather trade professions. I took one class from Gordon Andrus on refining hand stitching and Gordon did a fine job. He is a well respected saddle maker from Utah whose work I have admired for some time.
While in Sheridan I also entered a saddle in the World Leather Debut contest. This was the 13th year for this event and there were many superb entries of leather items from all over the world in multiple categories. My saddle was a combination of scroll carving and basket stamping so was entered in the Geometric or Basket stamped division. My saddle was fortunate to win the division so that just added to the whole weekend’s experience.