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Chester A. Reynolds Award
Awarded in 1991
Don King
Don King stands as one of the most influential craftsmen in the modern American West—a saddle maker, leather artist, and rope innovator whose work reshaped Western gear and fueled a thriving Wyoming institution. Born on August 26, 1923, in Douglas, Wyoming, King spent his early years cowboying across the West. While working in Arizona, he met leather craftsman Cliff Ketchum, who encouraged him to try tooling leather. The advice changed his life. King discovered not only a talent, but a calling, and in time he developed one of the most recognizable carving styles in Western history.
After years of building saddles on his ranch near Sheridan, King opened King’s Saddlery on Main Street in 1963. A few years later, he expanded the business to include King Ropes, which quickly became one of the most trusted rope suppliers in the world. Today, thousands of handmade lariats hang in the Sheridan shop, with hundreds of varieties used by working cowboys and rodeo competitors everywhere. King even engineered a left-handed rope twist, giving left-handed ropers tools designed specifically for them.
Yet his greatest artistic influence came through leather. King developed the now-famous Sheridan style of tooling—an intricate pattern of wild roses flowing in circular, scroll-like arrangements. The style spread across saddle shops and craft schools, becoming one of the most popular floral carving patterns in Western gear making. His saddles were prized by rodeo champions, working cowboys, international royalty, and heads of state. Among the owners of his work were RCA world champions, Cheyenne Frontier Days winners, the Queen of England, and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
King’s influence extended far beyond the products that bore his name. As a teacher and mentor, he trained generations of saddle makers, passing along craftsmanship, standards, and pride in the work. “He set the standard for tooling trends in the United States,” said World Champion Team Roper Bobby Harris. “Don King’s tooling on his saddles is world-renowned. He trained many great saddle makers.” Craftsmanship, quality materials, and innovation were always at the heart of his shop, and young makers who worked beside him carried those values into their own careers.
His generosity and leadership left a lasting mark on Western artistry. Jeremiah Watt, a renowned saddle maker influenced by King’s work, called him the driving force behind the Sheridan style’s worldwide popularity. “Don made every effort to move the entire spectrum of saddle making forward in a generous way,” Watt said. “The energy and zeal that he brought to this body of artists and craftsmen will be forever missed.”
From cowboy to craftsman, from leather bench to rope shop, Don King shaped the look, feel, and future of Western gear. His legacy lives on in the saddles and ropes used across ranches and arenas, and in the generations of makers who learned from his example.
Don King stands as one of the most influential craftsmen in the modern American West—a saddle maker, leather artist, and rope innovator whose work reshaped Western gear and fueled a thriving Wyoming institution. Born on August 26, 1923, in Douglas, Wyoming, King spent his early years cowboying across the West. While working in Arizona, he met leather craftsman Cliff Ketchum, who encouraged him to try tooling leather. The advice changed his life. King discovered not only a talent, but a calling, and in time he developed one of the most recognizable carving styles in Western history.
After years of building saddles on his ranch near Sheridan, King opened King’s Saddlery on Main Street in 1963. A few years later, he expanded the business to include King Ropes, which quickly became one of the most trusted rope suppliers in the world. Today, thousands of handmade lariats hang in the Sheridan shop, with hundreds of varieties used by working cowboys and rodeo competitors everywhere. King even engineered a left-handed rope twist, giving left-handed ropers tools designed specifically for them.
Yet his greatest artistic influence came through leather. King developed the now-famous Sheridan style of tooling—an intricate pattern of wild roses flowing in circular, scroll-like arrangements. The style spread across saddle shops and craft schools, becoming one of the most popular floral carving patterns in Western gear making. His saddles were prized by rodeo champions, working cowboys, international royalty, and heads of state. Among the owners of his work were RCA world champions, Cheyenne Frontier Days winners, the Queen of England, and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
King’s influence extended far beyond the products that bore his name. As a teacher and mentor, he trained generations of saddle makers, passing along craftsmanship, standards, and pride in the work. “He set the standard for tooling trends in the United States,” said World Champion Team Roper Bobby Harris. “Don King’s tooling on his saddles is world-renowned. He trained many great saddle makers.” Craftsmanship, quality materials, and innovation were always at the heart of his shop, and young makers who worked beside him carried those values into their own careers.
His generosity and leadership left a lasting mark on Western artistry. Jeremiah Watt, a renowned saddle maker influenced by King’s work, called him the driving force behind the Sheridan style’s worldwide popularity. “Don made every effort to move the entire spectrum of saddle making forward in a generous way,” Watt said. “The energy and zeal that he brought to this body of artists and craftsmen will be forever missed.”
From cowboy to craftsman, from leather bench to rope shop, Don King shaped the look, feel, and future of Western gear. His legacy lives on in the saddles and ropes used across ranches and arenas, and in the generations of makers who learned from his example.
