EVENTS
Saddlemaker
Monroe C. Veach, born in 1896 on a farm near Trenton, Missouri, learned to cowboy as a teenager on Colorado ranches. Veach’s fame, however, arose from his artistry as a saddlemaker. In 1917 the U.S. Army taught him leather repair, and he later taught himself leathercraft by copying an illustration in a Sears & Roebuck catalog. In 1919 he established Veach Saddlery.
In the 1920s, billed as “Monroe Veach, Master of the Maguey,” the saddlemaker earned extra money by trick riding and roping in Wild West Shows and rodeos. He learned firsthand the requirements of competition saddles and rigging. His handiwork soon gained a reputation for beauty and durability. Veach Saddlery’s most popular and successful model was the Fred Lowry Roper.
A 1988 Wrangler Award-winning public television documentary, $10 Horse and $40 Saddle, featured Monroe Veach’s life. Veach taught his skills to three generations of his offspring, and he continued to work at the shop until his death in 1986.
