Click over to your online copy of The Wickenburg Sun to read Patti Jares’ article about Al Reynolds.
Old West Leather
Alfred R. Reynolds, Owner
(by appointment only)
Wickenburg, AZ
(928) 684 3134 …or bootguy1@cox.net
Photo by Terry Glueck. Thanks!
This is the second year Silver Dollar City has held a Best of American Bootmakers Competition.
Each park visitor got a chance to vote for their favorite cowboy boots. Over 7,500 ballots and 35,000 votes were cast.
Silver Dollar City awarded over $12,500.00 in cash and products to the winning bootmakers.
Congratulations to the winners!
Work Boot
1st Place — Mark Schumacher (Wolsey, SD)
2nd Place — Wild Bill (Granby, CT)
3rd Place — Dew Westover (Vernon, TX)
Office Boot
1st Place — Carl Chappell (Saint Jo, TX)
2nd Place — Stephanie Ferguson (Millsap, TX)
3rd Place — Mike Spikes (Henrietta, TX)
Stage Boot
1st Place — Keith Rohwedder (Weatherford, TX)
2nd Place — Pascal (North Hollywood, CA)
3rd Place — Stephanie Ferguson (Millsap, TX)
Novice Class
1st Place — Jacky Heflin (Keller, TX)
2nd Place — Alys Glaze (Saint Jo, TX)
3rd Place — Steve McCord (Henrietta, TX)
Best Shop Effort
1st Place — Robert Brest (San Angelo, TX)
2nd Place — Olsen Seltzer (Henrietta, TX)
3rd Place — Tres Outlaw (El Paso, TX)
Best of Show
Carl Chappell (Saint Jo, TX)
Artist Choice Award …Voted on by Silver Dollar City Master Craftsmen
Carl Chappell (Saint Jo, TX)
Next year, Silver Dollar City will have a working boot and saddle shop, during its Salute to the Great American Cowboy in September 2008 (in lieu of a boot contest.) Plan your own visit to Silver Dollar City, where they have a passion in keeping, demonstrating and showcasing the “lost arts” of the past. (video)
Each year at the Boot & Saddle Maker Trade Show Round-Up there is a boot contest. This year, there were loads of cowboy boots.
The boots sit on the tables unmarked. Everyone who visits the show gets to vote for their favorite boots and saddles. Sometimes I can figure out which boot belongs to who, either from design features…or the sometimes the buzz in the room. This year I had a difficult time because there were so many entries.
(More photos & stories at Custom Cowboy Boots Discussion Board.)
(Click here for full-size photos & more captions)
2007 Cowboy Boot Contest Winners
Journeyman
Winner: Terry Glueck (Waco, TX)
Runner-Up: Steve McCord (Henrietta, TX)
Working Cowboy
Winner: James Redman (Mertzon, TX)
Runner-Up: Mike Vaughn (Bowie, TX)
Artistry
Winner: Jacky Heflin (Keller, TX)
Runner-Up: Brian Thomas (Abilene, TX)
Open Class
Winner: Dew Westover (Vernon, TX)
Runner-Up: Cowboy Loveless (Hugo, OK)
Top Stitching
Winner: Mike Vaughn (Bowie, TX)
Runner-Up: Ben Gonzales (Bryan, TX)
Masters
Lisa Sorrell (Guthrie, Ok)
Professional’s Choice
Brian Thomas (Abilene, TX)
Next year’s show is October 3-4, 2008 in Wichita Falls, TX. See you there.
Thanks to everyone who’s bought my book.
I’m eager to hear what you think of it. So …I’m sponsoring a contest*.
Post a review of my book, Cowboy Boots: The Art & Sole on Amazon.com and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a HARDCOVER copy of the 1981 classic, Texas Boots (which, when you can find it… retails for $75-$200.)
This 1st prize hardcover copy of Texas Boots will be given away in a random drawing among those who post reviews. Criticism of my book will not hurt your chances of winning. Your chances of winning depends on the number of reviews posted and entries received. Short, one-line reviews are a-okay with me.
2nd prize will be a paperback edition of Texas Boots in excellent condition. This prize goes to my “favorite” review…which could be something instructional, insightful, funny…who knows?!
*Here are the rules:
Here’s the fine print: I will pay the shipping costs associated with these prizes. The hardcover copy of Texas Boots is in very good condition, but is missing its paper dust jacket.
Visit Silver Dollar City’s website for the prize winning cowboy boots of the Best of American Bootmakers Competetition 2006.
Park visitors voted for their favorite pairs in five categories: “Novice,” “Work,” “Office,” and “Stage” boots… along with “Best Shop Effort,” a category for larger boot companies where a boot is passed from hand to hand during its construction.
As the newest offering in the Festival of American Music & Crafts …there were nearly 60 pairs of boots entered in the contest and bootmakers demonstrating their craft. I’m making my plans to attend next year’s competition… September 13 through October 27. See you there!
(Use the comments link below to tells us which boots got your vote?)
These Carmack’s Custom Boots won 1st place in the Stage Boot Competition and Best in Show. (Photo courtesy Silver Dollar City. )
Carmack’s Custom Boots
Greg Carmack, Bootmaker
6020 North Hwy 6
Waco, TX 76712
E-mail: bootmaker@prodigy.net
