About Us
Brown's Saddle Shop is located in Haines City, FL, only 30 minutes from Orlando and about 2.5 hours from Wellington, FL.
CJ Brown, Owner
Choosing a life as a working/rodeo cowboy is a lifestyle that is quite rewarding in many ways but not so much financially. Repairing and at times building (somewhat crudely), my own gear was out of necessity. This necessity unlocked a passion for the complexity of talent that went into something as simple as a set of split reins. Most of the work I was doing was on the tailgate of a truck or in the tack room of a barn, occasionally I would get some time in a saddle shop. These shop owners rarely had time to teach until I walked into Mike Gallagher’s shop in Bartow Fl.
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Mike’s passion for teaching was as great as his passion for quality leather work. The years spent in Mike’s shop was much more than an education in leather craft, it was a master class in the history of the trade and the tools it took to do the work, many of which we built ourselves and as it’s said “the rest is history”.
When you walk into my shop not only will you find a complete custom leather and repair shop but you will find a museum of tools and machinery dating back to the 1800’s that are still used daily. You will also find young artisans perfecting their skills and learning the ropes of growing a successful leather business.
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- CJ Brown
Partner Artists
Chante Argenti
Feather Leather Co.
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I got my start in leather crafting in 2017 when I wanted to make my own pair of chaps. I learned how to saddle stitch by hand and I realized that I had so much more to learn before I could make a pair of chaps. I found CJ Brown and he invited me to start apprenticing. After 4 years of learning and practicing, I started making chaps and belts and never looked back. I have had the privilege of learning from another exceptional mentor, to perfect chaps patterning.
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Every pair of chaps I make is completely custom to the rider's measurements and unique needs.
Jackson Lord
Aubry Hammock