John Willemsma

Building quality saddles has been John Willemsma’s goal for 46 years. From the tests of the working cowboy to the eye of the finest collectors, he is driven by excellence. Willemsma has had the great fortune of being able to study under some of today’s greatest craftsmen, such as Don King, Dale Harwood and Chuck Stormes.

Combining the knowledge he gained from them, and his study of early saddleries particularly Visalia, Hamley and Ray Holes,  Willemsma brings a strong desire for high standards to each and every saddle that he builds. In 1986, Willemsma opened LJ’s Saddlery with a desire to build and design saddles that he felt met the needs of both working cowboy’s, horsemen and women alike.

Since becoming a TCAA member, it has been gratifying for him to place his feet in both the worlds of working gear and functional art. Willemsma and his wife, Debbie, live in Westcliffe, Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains. He is now passing his knowledge of saddlemaking to his son, Logan, and strives to honor all those who have guided him and shared their knowledge of the craft he holds dear.

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Close up up hand-engraved floral patterns and silver hardware on a brown leather saddle
Details on For the Girls Who Rode Wild Horses, 2019. Photograph courtesy of John Willemsma
A brown leather saddle, hand-engraved with a floral pattern and accented with with engraved silver details
For the Girls Who Rode Wild Horses, 2019. Photograph courtesy of John Willemsma