Important Information Regarding Your Saddle:

•Saddle must be made by the leather worker within the 24 months prior to the 2026 Southwest Leather Workers Trade Show
•Entrants can be novice or professional leatherworkers but may not have made saddles for longer than 3 years prior to the   2026 Southwest Leather Workers Trade Show.

PURPOSE

This competition was developed by Dusty Johnson in collaboration with Leather Crafter’s Journal to encourage new and beginning students of the saddle-making arts. If entering, your saddle will only be compared with those created by others with similar time in the trade. Entrants will receive unbiased analysis, valuable insights for improvement in basic construction and finishing of working western saddles, written score sheets with candid critiques, and one-on-one Q&A with master saddlemaker judges.

JUDGING CRITERIA

(40 Points) Section 1 – Construction & Execution
(40 Points) Section 2 – Finishing & Function
(25 Points) Section 3 – Design & Aesthetic Quality
(15 Points) Section 4 – Originality & Professional Design
120 Points Total

QUALIFICATIONS TO ENTER

Entrants may have been practicing leatherwork for any amount of time, novice, amateur, or professional, but may not have made saddles for longer than three (3) years prior to the show entered.

The saddle presented for the Preview must have been created within the past 24 months prior to the start of the Southwest Leather Workers Trade Show for that year’s competition. No saddles from previous ESPs may be repeated entries. Only one saddle per maker may be entered.

HOW TO ENTER

Go to www.leathercraftersjournal.com to download the registration form and complete details, or call 715-362-5393 (LCJ) to request a form to be sent to you by mail or email. Complete instructions are available on the registration form.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

All fully completed registrations must be received by 11:59 p.m., Friday, February 6, 2026, CST at the Leather Crafter’s Journal. In accordance with rules for other competitions administered by the Journal, and to remain fair to other contestants, absolutely no late entries will be accepted. The Emerging Saddlemaker Preview is held annually at the Southwest Leatherworkers Trade Show in Prescott, Arizona, at the Prescott Hotel and Conference Center. Awards are presented on the Saturday of the trade show. Attendance encouraged, but not required.

AWARD

A $500 Cash Prize will be awarded to the maker with the most points, $250 Cash Prize to the runner-up, and
$200 to the third-place maker. Saddles may be featured in the Journal.

DISPLAY TIME

Saddles shall remain on display for the duration of the trade show. The trade show dates and hours are:
Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. & Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

SHIPPING/DELIVERY

Shipped Saddles: All saddles entered into the Preview must arrive at Prescott Resort & Conference Center no earlier than Monday, February 16, 2026 (if shipping the saddle) and must be packaged in new packaging (to ensure return shipping in the same packaging is viable). LCJ staff will re-package and return-ship the saddle according to the instructions on the registration form. Valid payment for return shipping shall be designated on the registration form.

Hand-Delivered Saddles: Saddles may be checked in with LCJ staff at the Prescott Resort & Conference Center on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. You are encouraged to provide your own stand. Saddles must be picked up by the maker or a pre-designated person (see registration form). Pick-up begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 21. All saddles shall be picked up by 2 p.m. Sunday, unless they are to be return-shipped (include packaging at drop-off).

How to Ship a Saddle
By Dusty Johnson