NFR Buckles

[Haraga.com]

Does anyone remember the name of the gentleman (not company) that actually makes the National Finals rodeo buckles?

 

[jmcutting]

Haraga,

Last I knew Montana Silversmiths was making the award buckles... I wasn't aware that they were all made by one individual. They award close to 100 buckles over Finals week...

-justin

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Justin is right about Montana Silversmiths. Before Montana Silversmiths, Award Medal Designs fabricated the NFR buckles (Award Medal Designs was bought out by Montana Silversmiths). Before Award Designs, it was Gist Silversmiths & Engravers that produced the NFR buckles. I would venture to guess that Gist made them for at least a minimum of 15 consecutive years or more. All three of the aforementioned companies have or had many employees and no one single person within those companies worked on the NFR buckles exclusively. However, I do not have clue as to who produced them before Gist. I think Gist was awarded the contract sometime in the 70's.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

When I was at Gist in the seventies I can remember cutting what seemed like endless numbers of NFR buckles. Ken Moore would design them. There was a fellow named "Watcha" who is still with Gist and he would saw out the overlays, I believe a guy named Steve did most of the soldering back then. Mike was in the polishing room. Gordon did just about everything and would push a rack full of trays into the engraving room. Each engraver would have a tray full of buckles to cut in a day. As I recall Darren Reeves sat on my right and Sergio would sit on my left. Ethan Jacczak might be in there, or Ken "Smitty" Smith. Usually at least four engravers side by side.

Here is a photo of Ethan and I in Gist engravers, Vacaville Ca. I am the one with the ponytail and the Jefferson Starship Tshirt.

 

[Haraga.com]

Thanks for the info.