Bud Sharpe 1927 - 2011
Detail from Tracy's saddle.
"Bud had an aura of cowboy culture surrounding him."
- Lloyd Niddery.
Bud Sharpe made saddles. Decades worth of hard working western gear are testimony to his dedication to a traditional craft. In the arena his trim sculpted saddles mounted on barrel runners reveal his keen observation of horses and riders. In the chute a rodeo cowboy may be easing into a Sharpe bronc saddle while his pickup rider waits in another custom seat fashioned by Sharpe. Ropers have long used them in competition. In years past top prize could have been another of his saddles. Bud himself was a rodeo participant, Canadian and U.S. And a mentor of cowboys.
In the high country and the valley of the Similkameen River in British Columbia horses are often saddled with one of his. It won't be new. Sharpe built but a few since the turn of the century. Fifty year old Sharpe saddles hang in tack rooms along with quality saddles of younger makers. Encased in close fitted leather and his trade mark tufted seat the hard worked trees are still solid. Wrapped horns reveal the scars of a thousand dallies. The leather may be thinning and the tooling worn. They don't sore a horse and they're still a good day long seat. Time has taken all of the saddles out of Sharpe but they have been tested by that time just as he knew they would be. Their endurance is his legacy.
Many owners of saddles featured in this site knew him personally. As is not unusual Bud Sharpe's life story is told differently by every one who knows him. But then legend is a matter of perspective tempered by the telling.
- Lloyd Niddery.
Bud Sharpe made saddles. Decades worth of hard working western gear are testimony to his dedication to a traditional craft. In the arena his trim sculpted saddles mounted on barrel runners reveal his keen observation of horses and riders. In the chute a rodeo cowboy may be easing into a Sharpe bronc saddle while his pickup rider waits in another custom seat fashioned by Sharpe. Ropers have long used them in competition. In years past top prize could have been another of his saddles. Bud himself was a rodeo participant, Canadian and U.S. And a mentor of cowboys.
In the high country and the valley of the Similkameen River in British Columbia horses are often saddled with one of his. It won't be new. Sharpe built but a few since the turn of the century. Fifty year old Sharpe saddles hang in tack rooms along with quality saddles of younger makers. Encased in close fitted leather and his trade mark tufted seat the hard worked trees are still solid. Wrapped horns reveal the scars of a thousand dallies. The leather may be thinning and the tooling worn. They don't sore a horse and they're still a good day long seat. Time has taken all of the saddles out of Sharpe but they have been tested by that time just as he knew they would be. Their endurance is his legacy.
Many owners of saddles featured in this site knew him personally. As is not unusual Bud Sharpe's life story is told differently by every one who knows him. But then legend is a matter of perspective tempered by the telling.