CUSTOM BOOTS AND SADDLES NET AWARDS FOR STILLWATER RESIDENTS
Two Stillwater residents brought October in with a cowboy bang when they walked away from a major competition with top awards in boot and saddle making .
Bobby Myers won first place in the artistry intermediate class and the top stitching open class for custommade boots at the Boot & Saddle Makers Roundup held Sept . 30-Oct . 1 in Wichita Falls , Texas .
“ It was very surprising . I ’ ve always enjoyed working with my hands and building things , but I didn ’ t expect to win both of those categories ,” Myers said . “ I was very excited . It made me feel reassured about going into the boot-making business and reassured me that I know what I ’ m doing and could be really good at this .”
Myers said he recently began learning how to make custom boots from longtime boot-making veteran Randy Moe of Beggs , Oklahoma .
“ I built a pair last year with Randy schooling me in how to do it ,” Myers said . “ He helped me enter that pair in last year . I didn ’ t win , but I also didn ’ t expect to .”
Myers said Moe encouraged him to enter the competition again this year .
“ I just trusted that he knew what he was talking about , so I entered them ,” he said . “ My styles were a lot different than other ones entered in , and it was hard to know what the judges would be looking at .”
Myers is opening Myers Custom Boots , a business he will run out of his current store front at Stillwater Boot & Shoe Repair .
“ I really like the old style of boots from the 40s and 50s , and that ’ s
Bobby Myers poses with his awards from the Boot & Saddle Makers Roundup . Myers won first place in the artistry intermediate class and the top stitching open class for custom-made boots .
probably the direction I ’ m going to go with my boot making ,” he said .
Randy Taylor of Stillwater won the working cowboy division for his custom-made saddle . He said this was his fourth time to enter the competition but his first time to win .
“ I have been making saddles as a hobby for about nine years ,” Taylor said . “ After having other saddles entered that I thought were worthy of winning , it felt really good for this saddle to be recognized by master saddle makers . Winning the competition is validation that my saddle-making skills have reached a higher level .” SwOk
STORY BY : ALISA BOSWELL-GORE Stillwater Oklahoma Magazine
PHOTOS : Provided
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 9