A Busy Start to the Year

It has been a very busy first few weeks of the new year! We have been getting ready for the Denver Market this weekend which is a huge event we work all year to prepare for. There have been some late nights trying to finish the last of projects and tying up the loose ends. We don't settle for less than perfection! This is where we unveil all the new saddle and tack designs for the year. We also have the annual sales meeting with all the salespeople who are able to attend. A lot of our major competitors are there as well so it's always interesting. I have finished the new 2009 Catalog and it's on the way from the printer. It will be available next week so be sure to request a catalog. We hope you'll find your perfect saddle! We will be updating the Web site soon too with some new features and of course with the new catalog. Be safe on the trails and stay warm!

Shopping Near To Home

The stalls still need to be done, hooves still need to be trimmed, hay put out, buckets scrubbed... Even when it seems the whole world is focused on the negative, we still can count on our fuzzy friends to bring us back to the real world. And, a nice world it is. Many horse families are just that, whole families involved in the horse owning lifestyle. Children are still wishing for a horse or pony, new saddles, new boots. Circle Y prepares for the upcoming spring season this time every year. Though some predictions for retail sales of all kinds are dismal, we are working hard to bring you fresh, new designs, and saddle styles. What hasn't changed is our dedication to make the highest quality saddles at a fair value. Please keep your local tack shop on your shopping list. They have been there at your convenience for saddles and tack, and day to day supplies. We want them to weather this economic storm, and your patronage will help them do so. All here at Circle Y Saddles wish your family, and horses, a very happy holiday, and a brighter new year. We hope your Christmas wishes are coming true.

Bring on the New

I have begun working on the new saddle and tack catalog. Doing the catalogs is one of my favorite projects and it's something that I, and the entire Design Team, put a lot of care into. Our Design department puts a lot of time and thought into the new models we are rolling out hoping that if a potential rider hasn't found exactly what they are looking for, they will this year. It's no secret that times are tough these days with a lot of households having a skinnier Christmas than last year. At Circle Y, we take very seriously offering saddles and tack that are the highest quality, made with the highest level of perfection humanly possible, and with features that are important to riders of many different disciplines. Buying a saddle is an investment so finding that perfect one that suits your riding needs, horse or mule, and price point is a lot to consider. We are here to stay despite the economic downturn, and hope you will order a new catalog mid-January when they are available. We are always open to suggestions and comments and take requests to the design board so e-mail us if you have a request in mind.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving week. It’s the start of parties, Christmas music, putting up the tree and all that fun stuff. The Marketing department put up a Christmas tree last week at the Yoakum Museum. We had some leather ornaments made special in shapes of a boot, a saddle (of course), a star, and a bucking horse. We used some hardware like the rings, halter loops, dee rings, and curb chains for icicles to give it some sparkle from the lights. Amy and I have a super crafty friend that took a rope and tied some bows with red bandana pieces that we strung around the tree that really added to our look. We got a craftsman to make up a large leather star that was tooled with silver tips for the topper – gorgeous! It was fun and it sure put us in the holiday spirit. I’m headed north to see family to get my bird on. Warm wishes to all and safe traveling.

Change is in the Air

It’s no secret that all across America consumers are cutting back. At Circle Y, preparations have long been made so that we will survive an economic downturn. Rest assured Circle Y is here to stay. We are sorry to hear, however, that some of our competitors are not. A few weeks ago Big Horn Saddlery closed its doors. Even though they were a competitor, we don’t rejoice in people losing their livelihood. It’s an uncertain time and we are weathering this storm like all the other businesses and can’t wait for this hurdle to pass.

For all horse people crunching budgets, it’s still important to support your local tack shop. With on-line shopping on the increase, you can still buy from your local guys when they have a Web site. As a matter of fact, some dealers are adding some great incentives with a saddle purchase such as free tack and free shipping! They do need your business and resist the urge to buy a cheap product somewhere else. With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s a little unsettling wondering what the new year will bring. With a new president taking office, I sure do hope the change we have constantly been hearing about will be for the better.

Extreme Cowboy Race 8

Last Wednesday and Thursday I had the privilege of attending Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Race 8 competition at his ranch outside Stephenville, Texas. This Race was all female competitors which was an interesting mix. There were riders with all kinds of backgrounds: some women who ride for pleasure, some Miss Rodeos, a professional ranch cowgirl, professional horse trainers, and one competitor was 15! Everyone was cheerful and dressed beautifully for their TV debut.

The obstacles Cameron had set up were creative and difficult. Talk about a test of horsemanship and the ultimate test for trust. You could tell real quick who had a partnership with their horse and those who needed some work. One competitor was there on a Mustang that she only had 120 days on! The challenge is open to any breed of horse and any age rider, the only catch is the horse has to be 10 or younger. The competitors are allowed to walk the course to memorize it but only on foot (memorizing that is a challenge in itself!). Those horses did amazingly well on a course they were being hustled through never having seen it before.

Cameron's ranch is meticulously maintained with not a pile of horse manure to be seen-not even in the paddocks. He and his wife, Dalene, were very nice and welcoming. He had a new intern that was only in week 2 so he got broke in real quick to all the responsibilities. We were all pitching in and I got to do the back up timer for Ryan Dorhn (the other brain who created ECR with Cameron) so that was neat. The extra people helping had to be silent and watch the cameras and get down so you're not blocking the shot. Most of the time I had to huddle in a low area with my timer but that was okay because I could see pretty much everything. After all, I was there to help. I wasn’t expecting the cold front about mid morning Wednesday and it got chilly. The sky turned dark, the wind picked up and we thought it was going to pour down rain but it never did, thank goodness. I miss those cold breezy days-call me crazy but it doesn't get that cold down here around Yoakum.

There were two judges for this event: Lynn Palm and Joy Murray. What fantastic ladies. Both were so nice and willing to talk to you. Not to mention both are legends! Cameron gave the whole speech that he wanted no crying, whining, or pouting if you didn't get good scores and were not advanced to the next round. Not mention, who wants to argue with those judges?!

Everyone seemed excited at the chance of winning a Circle Y XP-HDR4 Frontier All-Around Trail saddle. We sponsor this event so the 4 finalists each go home with a saddle plus some cash. I hope they enjoy riding this saddle and it will serve them well. I can't spoil who won so tune in to RFD-TV in March when it airs. You'll be glad you did!

Leavin' Town!

I can't wait for tomorrow afternoon because Anne, our Marketing Media Director, and I are headed to Stephenville to the next filming of Extreme Cowboy Race hosted by Craig Cameron. What is really neat about this coming show is all the riders are women! These are some of the best horsewomen and I am really looking forward to watching the good horses and gals compete. If you aren't familiar with this competition which is aired on RFD-TV, you can go to Cameron's Web site http://www.craigcameron.com/extreme.shtml to read all the details. It will be at Cameron's Double Horn ranch so it will be neat to see that as well. Circle Y sponsors this show so four finalists will go home with a brand new XP-HDR4 Frontier All-Around Trail saddle. This saddle was designed for Tammy Harty and her horse, Bunny, who was in the top 4 of a previous season of ECR. When I get back I will tell you all about it!