At a time through which scores of things are mass-produced in locations far exterior of the US, Drew Clark’s work stands tall. 

Clark, 54, is a customized saddlemaker in Colcord, Oklahoma, and crafts every creation by hand in his personal store. 

A fourth-generation cowboy and saddlemaker, he owns Drew Clark Saddles at Veach Saddlery. His great-grandfather was the well-known saddlemaker Monroe Veach, whereas his grandfather, Charley Beals, was additionally a famous saddlemaker, as Clark informed Fox Information Digital in a cellphone interview.

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Monroe Veach started promoting saddles in 1919 in Trenton, Missouri, mentioned Clark. After Veach’s daughter married Charley Beals, the 2 opened a western retailer in Oklahoma.  

On the retailer, the Beals have been in a position to promote the merchandise they every made utilizing their particular person skills. “He constructed saddles and my grandmother made garments,” Clark mentioned. “They usually bought garments there on the retailer.”

Drew Clark of Colcord, Oklahoma, is a fourth-generation cowboy and customized saddlemaker. His household’s enterprise is “one of many longest working family-owned saddleries nonetheless in operation within the U.S.” 
(Drew Clark)

When the Beals retired in 1985, they bought the shop and moved to a ranch in Colcord, a small city in northeastern Oklahoma, mentioned Clark.

Within the late Nineteen Eighties, Clark, alongside along with his dad and mom, constructed what’s now the prevailing saddle store on the Colcord ranch.

“We have now my mother and pa — they’ve a ranch right here. They run cattle and horses,” he mentioned. Clark and his spouse, Darbi, have been married for 29 years.

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It was essential to Clark to focus on his heritage in his new firm. 

Ability throughout the generations

“Veach Saddlery, which is what the unique firm was referred to as, is now ‘Drew Clark Saddles at Veach Saddlery,’” he mentioned. “We appreciated to maintain the title within the enterprise,” he mentioned.

With over 100 years below their belts, Clark mentioned his household’s enterprise is “one of many longest working family-owned saddleries nonetheless in operation within the U.S.” 

With over 100 years of saddlemaking, Clark mentioned the enterprise is “one of many longest working family-owned saddleries nonetheless in operation within the U.S.” 
(Drew Clark)

Clark initially labored in building as a younger grownup, he mentioned, but it surely was not lengthy earlier than he was lured into working within the household commerce. 

“It is simply onerous to not do it,” he mentioned. “You have received every thing there, and all of the instruments and equipment. And I assume it took me till I used to be in my mid-20s to determine that is what I wanted to do.” 

“I discovered lots from my grandfather as a child, simply being out and in, working round my store.”

Clark mentioned that as a result of he had been round saddles his complete life, he roughly discovered the commerce from his grandfather and father. 

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“I discovered lots from my grandfather as a child, simply being out and in, working round my store. And my dad helped me lots once I began,” he mentioned.

“My grandpa handed away in ’94,” mentioned Clark. “My dad, when he and Mother have been first married — he labored for them within the western retailer there, and helped Grandpa make saddles that he knew lots about, too.”

He added, “So if I received a query, he is the man to go to.”

All customized orders

The method of creating saddles is totally different for every buyer, as every order is customized, Clark mentioned.

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“The very first thing I do is name and order a tree, which is what you begin on to make a saddle. It is wooden coated with rawhide,” mentioned Clark, including that he makes use of a “place out in Utah” that makes them. 

A stack of saddle timber are proven in Drew Clark’s work house. The saddle timber are “wooden coated with rawhide,” he mentioned.
(Drew Clark)

The “tree” has to suit each the rider and the horse, mentioned Clark. He’ll specifically measure the horse and decide how the saddle wants to suit.

“And once I order timber, I get these measurements and specs. That is a benefit of customized,” he added. “They match each you and the horse.” 

Every saddle has a novel carving, “like metalwork,” particular to what the customer requests.

That course of takes about two to a few months, he mentioned — however as soon as the tree arrives, the customized leather-based work begins. 

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“It is onerous to elucidate the precise course of. There’s lots to it, however yeah, you simply hold placing leather-based on there the place you need it,” mentioned Clark with amusing. 

Every saddle has a novel carving, “like metalwork,” particular to what the customer requests, mentioned Clark. 

Usually, he carves “flowers and stems and leaves all intertwining.” 

Clark mentioned he believes the leather-based he makes use of is best than these of the “assembly-line” saddles from Mexico and South America. Every saddle is made to suit each the horse and rider, he mentioned. 
(Drew Clark)

“All the pieces has circulate, you recognize — the leaves and every thing in the identical course,” he mentioned. 

“You are able to do it so some ways and [create] totally different designs with that, but it surely’s normally the fundamentals like leaves and vines and flowers.” 

Household legacy

As for the subsequent era of saddlemakers, Clark mentioned that he has two sons. 

His eldest, Tyler, is a soccer coach, whereas his youngest, Drake, often is the one who takes up the household reins. Drake “helps me out fairly a bit,” he mentioned.

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Except for the customized nature of his merchandise, Clark believes that the leather-based he makes use of is best than that of the “assembly-line” saddles from Mexico and South America that may be bought for lower than his customized work.

“I can not think about dwelling in a metropolis with folks throughout me on a regular basis,” Clark mentioned — including that he likes “being across the cattle and horses all day.”
(Drew Clark)

“They’re all precisely the identical,” he mentioned. 

“Mine, every one’s totally different. After all, doing it by hand, you are by no means going to have the very same factor each time.” 

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Clark mentioned he can not think about a life aside from the one he is dwelling at his ranch. 

“I can not think about dwelling in a metropolis with folks throughout me on a regular basis,” he mentioned. 

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“Out right here, you could be by your self in order for you. I benefit from the work. And yeah, I like being across the cattle and the horses all day.”