More than a dozen riders at the Blackfoot Ranch Rodeo this year, held at the Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds, rode in a saddle made by one man: Chase Carter. He's a rancher and saddle maker who helps organize the event and comes every year to see his handiwork in action.
"I remember each saddle. I remember, you know, when I made it and how long ago and what I've done different since then. And I kind of have an opportunity to critique my work."Chase Carter
Also in attendance at the rodeo was Chase Carter's son, Bronson. Months ago, the two participated in an Idaho Commission for the Arts Apprenticeship program that gave them $3,000 to help pass down a traditional art to a new generation. In this case, that art was saddle making. Carter decided it was Bronson's turn to take up the craft in 2023 and applied for the funds. At the 2024 rodeo, it was time to see those results in action.
“It's interesting teaching your own kids. The master-apprentice relationship is a little bit different. It's more meaningful and it's something that I always envisioned myself doing with my kids,” said Carter.
Bronson worked in the shop for many hours practicing on scraps before starting the actual saddle.
“We'll practice cutting. We'll practice edging and burnishing. Sewing is a really hard skill and when you're sewing leather at different depths of thickness, different angles and tight corners…” It’s even harder, according to Carter.
Bronson began the apprenticeship with his dad in January and it took about six months to build the saddle in between school, basketball and calving season. They laid out the leather and fit the saddle patterns into the space they had, taking precautions not to waste a precious resource.
There are parts of the saddle process that Carter expected would be difficult for Bronson but sometimes he was surprised to see his son excel. Then Bronson struggled with aspects that Carter didn’t foresee. They got to know each other in new ways.
“I get to see his strengths and weaknesses, and he gets to see my strengths and weaknesses,” said Carter.
He watched his son grow in confidence through the process as he began to figure out different aspects on his own. Bronson could still come to his dad for help when needed.
Once the saddle was cut out, they focused on the ground seat, a part of the saddle you can't see but affects the shape and comfort for a rider. It’s usually a metal piece that lies under the exposed leather and above the wooden tree, known as the skeleton.
“Building a saddle is kind of like building a house. No matter how good you do the finish work, in the end, if you don't have a good foundation, the structure's not going to stand,” said Carter.
The two finally finished the project at the beginning of June, just in time for the Ranch Rodeo.
“Being able to ride his own saddle, now he is going to know how it feels and he'll be able to make the connection about how the different shapes translate into different functions,” said Carter.
Bronson thinks his newfound skills will give him the chance to support himself when he leaves home and goes to college. He hopes to run a ranch one day as well.
“Using your own saddle, it has a feeling of independence to it. And it's really cool to be able to say, ‘I made this.’”
Sharing hard-earned skills at the ranch rodeo
Now, at the rodeo, he gets to show off his hard work to the community. He saddles up his four-year-old horse, Huey.
“His registered name is Mega Top Gun,” Bronson said.
The horse and rider have worked together a lot on the ranch and are now riding in a few events at the rodeo. Bronson got to choose a colt from the offspring of the family mare and sire, after a summer of work on the ranch. Huey is the first colt Bronson has had to train and show. Both of them are learning together.
A ranch rodeo is different from the traditional variety. It’s organized by participants, including the Carters. Events like “Trailer Loading” and “Team Branding” center skills that cowboys and cowgirls cultivate by working with cattle on horseback: riding with speed and precision, roping calves and branding. It’s a time for the community to gather and broaden their exposure and abilities through competition. Just like on a ranch, participants range in age, with teams that are often comprised of family members; women participate alongside men.
The Carter family raises beef cattle at their family ranch in Pingree. Carter’s wife, Merrick, and their five children all lend a helping hand in daily tasks — and larger efforts like moving cattle, branding and doctoring in the spring.
The whole family helps out at the relatively small rodeo arena, erected in front of a packed racetrack stadium. Corrals enclose a raked and groomed dirt floor with pins on the side, holding small steers and calves. A raised announcer box looks over the arena and other participants line the edges on horseback, waiting to compete in events.
The evening of this competition, Bronson gears up to compete in the Junior Bedroll Race. He points out the parts of the saddle, landing on a part that’s essential to the western style of the saddles: the horn.
“An English saddle does not have a horn on it. This is for roping and serves as a good place to tie your rope to. When you're roping it's pretty important to have a back cinch, because the pull of the rope, dallied to the horn, will pull up the back of your saddle,” he explained.
Participants in the Bedroll Race begin by laying on the ground, hats off, boots off, rain slickers under heads. Horses begin unbridled and unsaddled. A partner will gear up the horse while the participants gather their own belongings and then hop on to race and be the first to rope a calf. Bronson picked his dad as his partner.
“He's done this a lot, and he'll saddle the horse, probably the fastest I've ever seen, just because he knows how to set it up right before we start,” Bronson said of his father.
Taking the W in the Bedroll Race
The Bedroll Race is meant to mimic a real-life situation, where a cowboy may be camping overnight on a cattle drive and suddenly be summoned from their slumber to retrieve a stray calf. These contestants are not professional and mostly prepare for their events through the work they do to maintain their ranches.
“We kind of have some practice. When you're at a branding and a calf jumps out of the pen, you kind of got to jump on your horse and go and get it really fast,” Bronson said.
The announcers introduce participants to a cheering crowd in the packed bleachers – many are family friends who know the contestants personally.
“My adrenaline will go up right when I get in there and take my hat and boots off, but I don't know, I just kind of have been rushing myself around at the rodeo, and I've kind of decided I'm going to relax this year.”
The announcer shouts “On your mark, get set, go!” and the rodeo crew releases a pair of calves into the arena. The row of contestants on the ground spring to life in a dusty shuffle to gather their belongings and mount their horses. Bronson is the first into his saddle and pursues the calves with another competitor close behind. In moments, he’s roped the calf and the announcer calls the race. The whole thing is over in less than half a minute.
“It is Bronson and Chase Carter taking the W tonight!” The rodeo announcer beckons to the cowboy and the bleachers, “Bronson, hey, tip your hat to the crowd, buddy. You'll be glad you did, cowboy.”
Bronson raises a hand to his hat and lifts it off his head to the roaring onlookers. For his efforts, he wins a shiny belt buckle. But he’s not done yet. Bronson will compete again tomorrow, and next year he’ll return with his saddle and horse, Huey, and he hopes they’ll both be ready to compete with a team in more events.
Expressive Idaho is produced by Arlie Sommer and edited by Sáša Woodruff. Historic recordings were featured of fiddler Kevin Fallon, from the Library of Congress. The written article is by Arlie Sommer and edited by Henry Larson, Lacey Daley and Katie Kloppenburg.
Expressive Idaho is made in partnership with the Idaho Commission on the Arts’ Folk and Traditional Arts Program with funding support from Dr. Suzanne Allen, MD, Jennifer Dickey and Andy Huang. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.