The Texas 4-H Friends & Alumni Association would like to announce an exciting project. We approached a local saddlery shop owner about assisting us with a saddle for one of the UnParty Fundraiser prizes. Eventually the idea of a generic saddle grew into the Texas 4-H Centennial saddle.
After visiting with Don Gonzalez, owner of DG Saddlery, he explained to us that his roots began in, you guessed it, Texas 4-H.
Don started 4-H when he was in the sixth grade in Ingleside, TX. He remained an active member until graduating from high school. He was president of their local club for four years (freshman to senior year). He stated, “This was a very exciting job for me and I really enjoyed being a part of such a great club. We were a small club and more like a big family.”
Don’s projects included swine, broilers, rabbits, and horses. Along with his animal showing activities, he also entered leather craft projects in the arts and crafts part of the shows.
“4-H was always a very big part of my life and allowed me the opportunity to expand my responsibilities and further develop my talents,” said Don. His early horse showing led to becoming a member of the Texas High School Rodeo Association and Texas Youth Rodeo Association. This started a lifelong relationship with the equine community.
According to Don, “4-H gave me the opportunity to learn horsemanship skills from some of the most respected horseman and women in the south Texas region.”
He also stated that “4-H prepared me for a successful college career.” He graduated from Texas A&M University in May of 2002 with an Animal Science degree. After college he got married, moved to Bryan, TX, and started his saddle shop business.
The saddle shop started originally in his apartment bedroom in Beeville, TX and has now grown into a 2500 sq ft full retail, custom, and repair business in Bryan. He states, “Although the business is by no means in auto-pilot mode, we are having a blast growing our business.” Don uses his craftsmanship and desire to be involved in the community through giving back to organizations that give so much to the youth of Texas.
Don Gonzales Saddlery is a Custom Saddle shop where anything is possible. In his shop you make the decisions as to what you want in a saddle. There are no limitations to the amount of art and style that the saddle of your dreams can have. The main priority of their highly skilled craftsmen is to craft, by hand, a product that you can be proud of and be assured that it is one of a kind. This is exactly what Don is doing while crafting this one of a kind Texas 4-H Centennial Saddle.
“4-H was one of the best parts of my youth and I am so excited for the chance to give back to an organization that did so much for me”, stated Don.
You can see progressional pictures of the saddle on our website Texas 4-H Centennial Saddle.
We plan to sell raffle tickets for a chance to win the saddle throughout the year and present the saddle to the winner at a date to be determined in early fall once Texas 4-H officially kicks off the Centennial Celebration (Sept 1, 2007). The saddle will be on display at various stock shows this spring as well as other Texas 4-H events this summer. Watch the website for specific dates and locations. You can purchase your tickets online via our website or by using the downloadable form.
If you would like to become a sponsor of this project, please contact Jana Barrett at Texas4hfriends@ag.tamu.edu or 979-845-5972. We are looking for sponsors to help defer the cost of transporting the saddle throughout the state, leather cost, and printing/advertising.
All net proceeds from the sell of the raffle tickets will be used to support the Texas 4-H Program through scholarships, county program support, participation scholarships for 4-H events, and other financial contributions benefiting Texas 4-H. The Texas 4-H Friends & Alumni Association is a part of the Texas 4-H Foundation, a tax deductible 501(c)(3) organization.
