Veach Saddlery is 80!

Veach Saddlery Co, Inc. of Trenton, MO is celebrating its 80th Birthday This Year [1999].

Monroe Veach began his saddlemaking on his father's farm located 7 miles NW of Trenton, Missouri in March of 1919.

In 1939, Fred Lowry on Lenapah, Oklahoma won a Veach Saddle in a steer roping held in Nowata, OK the previous year. He liked the way the saddle was made, but wanted some improvements for calf roping as well as steer roping. Here the "Fred Lowry Roper" was born. More cowboys roping have ridden saddles that came from a small town in northern Missouri now for over 80 years! Veach Saddlery is now making the "Doug Clark Roper", designed by Monroe's great-grandson Doug Clark of Wayne, Oklahoma and built and hand carved by Monroe's grandson Craig Robinson. Trick Riding saddles have also been a trademark with the company as well.

Other saddle-making descendants of Monroe are: the late Charley Beals, the late Alvin Cunningham, Bud Breckenridge and Duke Clark (grandsons-in-law); Larry B. Veach, Kenny Veach, Cary Veach, and Ben Veach, Jr. (grandsons).

The business is now owned and operated by Monroe's youngest daughter Peggy and her husband and son, Robert and Craig Robinson. To our knowledge this is the oldest saddlery firm in the United States still in operation by original family members.

For a short time in the late 30's and into the 40's, Monroe also made hand-made cowboy boots; saddles being his #1 interest. Two grandsons are in the boot repair business today.

The firm is planning a birthday celebration on May 8, 1999, which would have been Monroe Veach's 103rd birthday.



Monroe Veach


Contact the company:

Veach Saddlery Company, Inc.
1011 East 23rd Street
Trenton, MO 64683
660-359-3592


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For comments about this page, please e-mail Larry Flesher, who maintains this page. Last updated: 17 July 2003