BILL MALOY

This saddle is built on a 15 1/2-inch Chuck Sheppard tree with a 12 1/2-inch swell and 3 1/2-inch cantle. It has 7/8 single flat plate rigging, square skirts, and mixed flower carving with dyed background. The saddlemaker has used Blevins buckle slides and stirrup leathers and the stirrups are leather covered and carved. All the sterling silver trim, including horn cap and conchos were made by Bill Maloy.

BILL MALOY, Saddlemaker, Washoe Valley, Nevada
Bill Maloy was born in Visalia, California in 1936. He attended the College of Sequoias in Visalia and Fresno State College majoring in art. Bill began his life-long career in 1957 when he went to work in a saddle shop in Visalia. He apprenticed under saddle maker Bill Rogers and was influenced by Visalia style saddles and the stamping of Stanley Dias. In 1957 he moved to Reno and opened his own saddle shop and in 2005 moved to Washoe Valley. He designs, fabricates, forms and engraves all of his silver and gold. He learned these skills primarily from Al Pecetti, with other influences being Mark Drain and Fran Harry. Bill made the Grand Champion Cow Horse saddles for the Cow Palace during the 1960s and the Salinas, California All Around Champion saddles for 22 years. In 2004 he became a member of Traditional Cowboy Arts Association and in 2006 was the recipient of a Nevada Governor’s Arts Award.

Photos by Adam Jahiel