Message From Bernie

I would like to tell you a little about myself & how I learnt my craftsmanship skills. My mother was incredibly talented with so many handicraft skills, from cake decorating to fine needlecraft & knitting and may other crafts.

It was my dad who taught me my saddle making skills, which he learnt from bespoke saddler, Bob Thurlow. I also soaked up as much knowledge as I could from many visits to Master Saddler Warren Newcombe’s shop, when he worked in Walcha. This also included doing work experience with him while I was at school. I made my first saddle at 13 which I still have today, and it is a good as the day I made it.

The rest of my knowledge has come from years of studying saddles and many hours in the saddle, while growing up and during my first 5 years of work as a stockman. I also competed in pony club and horse sporting events through to campdrafting and polo cross.

Dad & I worked on the land and during the 60’s made saddles and strapping/leatherwork in our spare time to fill orders that were coming in from locals.

In the 70’s local saddler, Warren Newcombe, left Walcha for Grafton so we decided to open up a saddlery in town in October 1974. Orders came in thick & fast and to get our name out to the wider market, we travelled to rodeos and horse events from Townsville to Adelaide and many place in-between, with our mobile shop.

I specialise primarily in traditional stock saddles and stock western for customers who use them for general stock work through to campdrafting & polocrosse. I have made western saddles for horse trainers and my Bronc saddles for competition riders competing at rodeos in most states in Australia. Ray Herman won SEVEN AUSTRALIAN & TWO WORLD TITLES in the 1980’s in a saddle that I specially made for him. Allan Powell won the 2012 Central Qld Saddle Bronc title and the 2013 PRCA

Rookie Title in a Brady’s Bronc Saddle.Walcha’s Carl Green won the 2013 ABCRA Australian Title also in a Brady Bronc Saddle.

I am a traditional saddle-maker, who still hand cuts and hand sews (not like larger saddle manufacturers, who use mechanical cutting tools). For a traditional counter- lined saddle the time from start to finish is on average 80hrs. And each saddle is custom made for the customer which is so important. It has to be comfortable for both the horse and the rider. It is a true art form and no two saddles are the same. I hand cut the pattern out for the saddle and then commence building from the seat up. This process has several stages, including hand-sewing, tacking & wetting the leather, as it is worked at different temperature and moisture and oil contents for different applications. Some on my saddles have extensive “tooling” (which adds to the completion time) where I carve special designs into the leather to create an even more unique and personalised saddle.

Since my dad passed away in 2016, I have taken up plaiting whips which is another craft that I enjoy and it is stimulating to create new styles and learn different techniques. Since relocating the saddlery to my new workshop at home it has given me the chance to re-energise my creativity and produce new styles and products. Call into our new “Leather Studio” at rear of 105e Hill Street Walcha, or give me a call on 0429772004.

Bernie B