Amera-Flex Saddle Manufacturer

We are pleased to introduce Blaze and Red, modeling some of our newest saddles, The Lacada and The Roper, and The Ultra Lite.

OUR STORY

Cindy grew up in the retail industry her entire life. Her father owned a logging business along with a truck stop, so she was thrown in the public eye her entire life. She married Harold in 1972 and still worked with her parents until Harold’s career took him to Wichita, Kansas to a Mid America Dairy operation. They soon transferred to El Dorado Springs, Mo. A small community and fell in love with the friendly community. Cindy opened a tanning and toning shop in the small community. Again working with the public.

Back in 1992 Josh went to work for Ortho Flex Saddle Company. Who knew that saddle building would become a passion? What a way to express your artistry and talents!

Harold, with his years of management in the dairy industry making a career change went to work as well making saddles. Cindy decided to close her shop and work for the saddle company and learn the ins and outs. They all 3 loved the business and loved the end product. As time went by Harold, Cindy and Josh all 3 were moved through out the company and learned every aspect of saddle building. From pattern work to cutting, dyeing, tree building, panels, sewing, saddle building and repairs. Cindy was in purchasing and receiving for 3 years before the company sold out. The knowledge they learned from this company and the many professionals are what make us efficient and conscience of the end product. We not only love the product we produce but believe in our line.

When Ortho Flex sold out and planned to move the company to Arkansas, Cindy knew she had to get to work and start our own company. In 1998 she bought the web name www.eldoradosaddle.com along with several other web names. She borrowed money from her mother, her uncle and a great uncle to buy the equipment and a small inventory. She began moving her products and building her web site, a lot of time, blood, sweat, and tears along with a lot of money and a lot of determination. Every time we try a new design, we lose money and material on trial and error. What looks like a good idea sometimes can be a total mistake and very costly. We try our saddles out and will continue to build for comfort not only for ourselves but also for the horse. We knew the paneled saddles were absolutely a great product but they had a lot of problems. We worked on repairing the saddles for years taking note of the many problems. Harold and Cindy knew the washer in the rear had to be able to move freely in order for the panels to flex properly and knew they had to devise a new design. When they came out with the stainless steal plate they met opposition with several people that said it WOULD NOT work! We knew it would solve the problems we had seen with the other panels. That is why we put the plates on all our panels and now others have followed. We continue to build and repair and learn everyday. We have a passion for the saddle industry.

In 2004 Cindy’s mom begged her to move back North to northern Illinois to be near her and help with her elderly great uncle in his latter years. So here we go, we put our beautiful Home up for sale, and 35 days later it was sold and with a nice little profit. We bought several lots along the Jane Adams trail in Stevenson County to build a New building for our shop.

The move was an experience in itself. First we needed a well drilled, electricity poled in and a septic system put in. The building was not there when we moved and most of the equipment went into storage. Thank goodness for Harold’s brother Allen who is a building contractor. He pulled all his knowledge and people together and was able to help get the new building built in record time. We closed for 3 months and threw ourselves into doing whatever we could to get the new shop up and running. By the first of the year 2003 we were back into business. A new building, and a little nest egg left over to get us a good start.

When we started this company we wanted to enjoy our passion for saddle building and not have our company own us. There is a big difference. We sacrificed our beautiful home in Missouri to help us become independent and debt free. We wanted our company to grow gradually and be able to play and enjoy the adventure. We listened to what our customers had to say. We took into consideration ideas they threw at us. Their concerns and their comfort along with their mounts comfort. We ate all the expense of costly trial and error. This not only keeps our minds fresh with new ideas, and our passion for saddle building alive, but keeps us on our toes.

We at one point in our career fell just short of being completely dominated. We were manipulated and almost completely taken over, by telling us what we could and could not do. Our passion for saddle building had become a stressed out manufacturing company with deadlines. The phone ringing off the wall, dealers wanting this and that, not only today but also yesterday. We started this company so that we would have the freedom to work and make decisions and prosper at our own pace. We worked 24 – 7 and very little time off. That is when we said enough is enough! If this is what we are in business for then it's not worth it. So now with a little downsizing and a little reorganizing, we are back to doing exactly what we started out doing. We are working individually with our clients and meeting their needs one customer at a time. We have time off to ride and enjoy life to its fullest.

Telephone/Fax ( 815) 563-9010