Andy Maschke Interview
BY TRACY WAGER
Q - Your saddles really are first-class and are not only beautiful,
they are functional earning you to be on the short list of the greatest saddle makers ever from Arizona. Your brand joins Porters, Rios, Bob’s, Rockys, Dunning, Blue Ribbon, and Ambrosino on that coveted list. How does that make you feel? A - It makes me proud, especially coming from Europe and not being born in this Country where you were raised with the cowboy culture. It was something that came up when I was young. I wanted to be a cowboy and started learning trick roping, and I got my first cowboy boots when I was 14. Starting to build my first saddle when I was 18 and thinking that one of these days I will build a saddle that is “as good” as a Bob’s. It makes me proud to be part of this culture. The first saddle I built was a ranch saddle and later on I got involved in Reining. When I got my first great Reining saddle I noticed, these saddles are a little wide compared to a Dressage saddle. So I thought, I can make a reining saddle that has a nice narrow seat, gives you the support that you need while stopping, turning and roll backs. In 1998 I moved to the states and was making Reining, and some Cutting saddles. At that time I was showing Cutting horses. Then I met with Tim McQuay and later Tom McCutcheon and these are the people that encouraged me to do something innovative for the Reiners. Tom was the first person to say, “OK, I want to try this, you know what you are talking about.”, especially saddle fit. He was probably the most difficult trainer that I ever worked with, but in a good way. Because while he was demanding certain things, he was educating me. It was about the sport of Reining, to see what is important for them. He still rides his first saddle that I built him in 2007 today!
Q - Your talents as an artist are reflected in both the leather tooling
and silver work of the saddles. Why did you choose these forms to showcase your talent as an artist. A - I think that something functional can also be pretty. Aesthetics are very important to me in my entire life, the style and quality of hats I wear, the style of boots I buy or the music that I listen to. I try and implement as much as I can from my everyday life into my work. For example, the car that I drive, I see woodwork on the interior wood trim. That is why I came up with a wood horn and wood cantles and included those elements in a modern type performance saddle. I learned to engrave silver in 2005, just to know what it takes to do this. When I was talking to my silversmith, he sometimes said that impossible, that is hard to do, that is difficult and it is going to cost money. I was always thinking, is it really true? Because they can tell me a lot, but is it really true? So I started to explore who were the greatest engravers in the country. I called an Engraver who lives in Louisiana and asked if he gives private lessons. He said, “Yes, come next week.” So, I got in the car and drove from Texas to Louisiana and stayed with him for a week and learned the art of gun engraving. That was always something that I wanted to include in Western saddle making. Western saddles have usually only western engraving, which is a simpler version of engraving. Then learned from my good friend Travis Stillson, he is my idol when it comes to tooling and leather carving. In my opinion he is one of the best carvers that we have 14
in this Country. I watched him several times, we even have done saddles together, because I said “ I want to learn this too.” I want to do every little part, the same with the saddle trees. It was important that I build a tree that is symmetrical, that fits my horse most of all and also myself or the customer/rider. Putting this all together is a concept of quality, art and function. I was using a few knives that a great custom tool maker makes for us in the saddle industry. They are made from Damascus Steel and I always liked the beauty of those knives, besides the quality of the steel. I started doing research and learned that there are so many different patterns. There was a young kid who was doing his apprenticeship with L.A. Langley. He was from France, and becoming a Master Blacksmith. I asked him if he could do Damascus Steel in dee’s and conchos just for me. He said Ok, I will make this my masterpiece for my test. We started this project, he had his issues, he had to learn this process, but it turned out to be really great. Last year I finished my first saddle with the dee’s and conchos on it and we showcased it at the Sun Circuit this year. It seems like people are loving it!
Q -The rumor is you built a saddle for Cole Hauser who plays the
role of “Rip” in Yellowstone. Any truth to that rumor? If so, did you do saddles for anyone else on the Yellowstone Series? A - Yes and no. I built a prototype for him first. The challenge was to find something for him, that gives him the support while he is doing ranch work, which they do. It may only be for a few minutes, or half an hour on the set, but he needed something that he could sit in and stay comfortable, supports him and he can do some ranch Cutting, some Roping and also general riding. He used that saddle in Season 4 filming. Now we are working on his new final product that will be the “RIP” saddle.
Q - You give back to the community by donating award saddles at
major events? Why do that? A - I think everything is a give and take. You cannot just take, you also have to give back. I think I am a very generous person, but if it is not appreciated, then I get sad. Because I did a good thing and it is not acknowledged. That is something we want too in life, it is not only money. It is respect, acknowledgement, maybe a pat on the shoulder. But I support the industry that is feeding me. As long as people know that I am not just a taker, they stay as loyal customers and they appreciate that fact.
Q - Recently you created your first set of custom spurs. • Why did
you do that? A - I have always liked equipment that is associated with riding and Reining. We make the saddles now, I can make my own silver, I can tool the saddle and I can make my own trees. I am always challenged to learn something new. Here comes Nick Schmersal and he approached me and asked “ Andy, can you make spurs?” I said I think so. I did not think I was getting into something serious. Nick said, “Hey then design me some. I want something that is as cool as the saddle that you built for my Step Dad.” It took about two years and he harassed me constantly. “Where are my spurs? Are my spurs ready? When are you going to have my spurs?” I sent him a drawing around Christmas time and he said “OK, I
JUNE 2021
