Kenny Veach recently finished two custom saddles for IRCA division champions. Veach is shown in the photo above standing behind the saddles for Team Roping Champ-Header Ryan Tharp and Team Roping Champ-Heeler, and All Around Champion, Shane Martin.

Veach creates prize saddles

By Tracy Runneberg

Daily Freeman-Journal Staff Writer

Craftmanship and dedication to quality are just two of the reasons why Kenny Veach, Webster City, was chosen to create one-of-a-kind custom saddles for two Iowa Rodeo Cowboy Association division champions.

Veach, owner and operator of Veach’s leather and saddle repair, located at 810 Seneca Street, spends much of his time repairing just about anything made of leather. But he also creates works of art with his hand-made saddles.

Veach sells these saddles through word of mouth, sales on the internet, and even to fellow ropers at competitions and rodeos throughout the country. His work has obviously been noticed, because Ryan Tharp and Shane Martin, the Team Roping Champ-Header, and the Team Roping Champ-Heeler and All Around Champion; respectively, asked that Veach create their prize saddles.

The I.R.C.A. normally presents a new saddle along with cash winnings to their champions in each division, but Tharp and Martin wanted something a bit more special and unique. They asked that Veach be commissioned to create their saddles, and were willing to put forth some of their own funds in order to have them made the way they wanted.

"This is the first set of trophy saddles I’ve every created," Veach stated. "It took a great deal more time with the extra tooling of their names, but I wanted it to be more special, as a prize. But the saddles will still be durable and usable."

The saddles took around 50 hours a piece to create, with the ropers’ last names tooled into the back cantle of the saddle, the hoof pick holders were personalized with their initials, and Veach added his trademark stamp to show the craftsman. Martin, who won two championship divisions, decided to have both placed on the same saddle.

Veach recently shipped the saddles so they may be presented to Martin and Tharp during the I.R.C.A. banquet in Marshalltown on Saturday, Feb. 3. Veach will also be attending the banquet in order to receive a fourth-place buckle earned as a header throughout the season’s competitions.

Veach has competed in rodeos with Martin and Tharp for several years, and hopes they will use the saddles while competing in the future.

"I’m thrilled with the honor of making the saddles, and I hope to see Ryan and Shane riding with them in future competitions."