Leatherworkers and Saddlemakers

John Sinclair is from Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, but he has been living in Pincher Creek, Alberta for several years. Now 72 years old, he has retired from ranching and makes saddles full time. In 1997, he and his son opened a saddle and jewellery shop.

Victor was trained as a shoemaker while serving in the U.S. Army during the Second World War. After the war, he began making saddles, handbags and a variety of leather goods.

James Lethbridge and his brothers Pete and William were famous Saskatchewan saddlemakers. When they started out, they built frames and saddles from whatever they could find locally. Their first saddles were simply covered in rawhide, as they couldn't afford the saddle leather. Women in the community helped them prepare the rawhide. The three brothers are remembered throughout Saskatchewan for their creative art and leather work. William passed away in 1994 at the age of 98.

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