Fred Ball Speaking on Business Each weekday on KSL Radio 1160, Fred Ball of Zions Bank highlights a Utah business -- from small home based businesses to large Utah based corporations. Access the latest "Speaking on Business" report below. More info on Speaking on Business

Quality Manufacturing -- May 26, 2005

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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.

I knew practically nothing about saddles until my recent visit to Monticello. Oh sure, I have sat in saddles when I have ridden horses, but I never gave the saddle much thought. Believe me, horse owners give a lot of thought to saddles. They know how important a correctly designed and crafted saddle is to a comfortable ride.

I learned so much from Sunny and Helen Felkins of Quality Manufacturing. They are world-renowned for their superb work in making the all important saddle trees that saddle makers use to build a saddle. The manufacturer of a saddle tree must be a top notch craftsman, and the tolerance levels for a saddle tree must be zero. No matter how well it's made or how fancy it is — no saddle is any better than the tree on which it is crafted.

Quality Manufacturing in Monticello is one of only a handful of noted saddle tree makers. Sunny started his business career as a building contractor more than 25 years ago, but knew there was a market for a top saddle tree maker. His skills working with wood and his love of horses prompted him to start his company.

His plant in Monticello opened six years ago and now he, Helen and 8 employees produce more than 100 custom saddle trees each month. How good are they? Well, they've made saddle trees that have been used by Queen Elizabeth, Ronald Reagan and the president of Italy. Tom Selleck always orders two saddle trees to use whenever he makes a movie.

Many customers drive to Monticello to have Sunny measure the horse for the tree. More than 20 different measurements are made. Saddle makers who rely on Quality Manufacturing want to make sure the rawhide is tight so it fits snug around the base of the horn. The saddle tree must be level, and the horn must be straight and centered.

Many things go into a well crafted saddle tree. Quality Manufacturing is one of the best in the world.

For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.

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