Buying & Selling Trophy Saddles

Questions about trophy saddle values are common at Coolhorse. Some people love 'em, while others would rather leave 'em. There are several reasons why a trophy saddle might have a lower value to us than a similar saddle without letters. Supply often exceeds demand. Good riders often win more saddles than they can use. Sometimes the saddles they win don't fit their horses. Maybe they just already have a saddle they like better. Some just don't want the hassle of breaking in a new saddle. Whatever the reason, there are always trophy saddles available to buy. Unfortunately, many of our customers prefer not to ride lettered saddles. So trophy saddles don't sell as well as unlettered ones of the same make and model. Because of this we have to limit the dollars we have tied up in trophy saddles available for sale to keep our selection broad. Why wouldn't someone want to ride a trophy saddle? There are many reasons here, too. Some folks just don't want any markings, lettering, or logos on their saddles. Other times the specific wording is the problem. I once had a man bring in a saddle because HE could no longer rider the Champion CowGIRL labeled saddle that he had been given. Another time, a recently turned six year old cowboy brought in a saddle for the High Point 5 and Under saddle, because at 6 he was clearly to big to ride that little kid's saddle. Some people are also afraid of trophy saddles. They have a bit of a bad reputation. Event producers have been known to cut corners at times by awarding inferior and inexpensive saddles to draw a good crowd. It's important to evaluate each individual saddle on its construction. Many trophy saddles are just as good as their non-trophy counterparts. Just because a saddle was a prize does not mean it is an inferior model. You can always check for things such as different tree construction or synthetic fleece to see if a saddle has been lightened up a little on the quality scale.