PLEASE NOTE REGARDING SADDLE TREES
We have been told by both our tree suppliers in the USA that they have both stopped production of their plastic moulded saddle trees ,Polyride has stopped production entirely at this stage and the other may be selling the business onto another buyer,so production may continue in the near future .
The result of this is we will buy some remaining Ralide stock ,but this will limit most trees regarding our future manufacturing ,so it may be a 2nd best choice in some cases ,Sorry about the inconveniance but this was intirely out of our control,Thankyou for your on going support.
Before you purchase a saddle ,please read my Buying A Saddle page 1st.
Please note, Due to lack of use,as from 1st August 2015 we no longer will receive credit cards due to the increase of our fees and we don't think you wan't to pay 9% to cover this, Sorry.
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To see an item larger click your right mouse button and go to view image.
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Saddle # 1000 now Sold !!
Finally made it folks DEC 2015 ,My one thousandth saddle before the year was out,Thankyou for all the support for all the ones that went before this one.
This one was a bit special ,it is a 15 1/2'' converted cutter on a Rawhide wood tree ,deep seat high front 5'' cantle with front binding ,semi to standard Quarter horse fit ,Red tan colour with a plait border,old style fenders,hand sewn cantle binder ,double Dee SS rigging with a back angled Dee to Y rig and sewn down back housing (jockey) shaped hard seat,Pelican horn is not for Roping sorry,Copper finish longhorn Conchos with SS dees under and 4 saddle ties ,easy grip barrel stirrups.Yours for $2800.00,now sold sorry,was a 1 off.
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Dove Saddles was established by Graham Turner in 1976.
In 1971 I spent some time as an apprentice in Masterton New Zealand and then
moved to W.Wiggins Ltd where I worked for four years. I then decided to go to
Sydney Australia where I worked for Bexley Saddlery. After that I decided to
return to New Zealand where I continued to work for W.Wiggins Ltd until June
1976 then I went into business setting up at my parents place in Wellington. I
worked there for 7 years before moving to Raumati on the Kapiti Coast where I
shared a workshop for 3 years with boot and shoemaker Tex Bell.
In 1986 I moved to my own building in Reikorangi
Waikanae where we built a workshop showroom on our property where we enjoy the
rural lifestyle. During my time I have trained three apprentices.
I started building Western saddles in 1977 and then
decided to up skill at Robin Yates School run by that old and now famous
bushman, poet and saddle maker Jack Drake who now lives in Australia. After
making saddles the conventional way and realizing sales were not happening
overnight I went into manufacturing dog collars and leads for Masterpet
Corporation for about 20 years only to slowly move back to where I always
desired to be which is building middle cost western saddles and seeing a need
for them. With the closing down and passing of Charlie Leach I decided to step
into that gap.
An expensive risk was setting up business along the
lines of the American saddle factories using bulk bought leather from New
Zealand and Argentina along with high tensil plastic moulded saddle trees,
press cut parts, some press patterns and specialty machinery to get the prices
down where we have remained even with the cheap overseas Mexican, Chinese and
Indian competition.
We back up all that we sell because we make saddles
for you, not for us. We never sell a saddle until you and your horse are happy
with it.
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In 1980 I married Angela, together we have raised three adult
children ,all married off. Our daughter Miranda has successfully competed
in western events on her late Appaloosa horse Waimarama Chakan and was giving western
lessons which unfortunately had to stop due to health problems. We enjoy horse riding when we can find the time. We have now 2 horses on our property and raise
sheep & cattle for some extra income. I love the cowboy lifestyle and fashion and live
it to the full. We are both born again Christians along with our children. We
do our best to live the life as I tried the serious atheist life for 26 years
and found there was no prize at the end.
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