Sesquicentennial Saddle to Tour Nevada
Leather and saddle craftsman Armondo Delgado, of J.M. Capriola Co., spent roughly 600 hours hand crafting the one of a kind saddle and Nevada
Elko, Nev. – Many commemorative pieces have been created in the past year in celebration of Nevada’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood but the Sesquicentennial Saddle, a legacy project, showcases craftsmanship from one of the
oldest professions. Leather and saddle craftsman Armondo Delgado, of J.M. Capriola Co., spent roughly 600 hours hand crafting the one of a kind saddle and Nevada silversmith Mark Dahl, designed and created the silver work.
The Capriola Weatherly, 6 flower hand crafted saddle features a full floral hand stamped design on a weatherly tree, sculptured rope and silver straight up cantel with a rope and silver sculptured front fork, hand engraved sterling silver conchos and the Sesquicentennial medallion series across the back of the seat with a logo medallion on the saddle horn. In addition, the Nevada 150 logo is prominently displayed on both fenders. Capriola’s generously donated their time creating the saddle in celebration of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial.
The saddle is highlighted by the GS Garcia leather stamp centered between the four medallions, made available by GS Garcia’s granddaughter, Dee Dee Garcia-White. Garcia’s most famous saddle brought home the gold medal from the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The stamp has only been used on a very limited basis since her grandfather passed away and this will most likely be the last time it will be made available, making this saddle a priceless piece of history. J.M. Capriola Co. was opened in 1929 by one of GS Garcia’s apprentices, Joe Capriola.
“I approached Capriola’s about this legacy project last year and it is far more than I could have imagined,” said Don Newman, Elko Convention and Visitors Authority executive director and Nevada 150 commissioner. “They were able to incorporate so much history in the saddle with the hand stamped designs, Sesquicentennial medallions and the GS Garcia Stamp. We are very excited to be able to donate this to the museum next year.”
The saddle will be on display at various events around the State for the next year including the Elko Nevada Day Parade, the Nevada Day Parade in Carson City, National Finals Rodeo in Vegas as well as at Capriola’s in Elko. At the 151st Anniversary of Nevada Statehood, the saddle will be donated to the Nevada State Museum in Carson City for permanent display.
The Nevada State Museum in Carson City has both the 1904 Garcia Saddle and the Halsey Saddle on display and these were the inspiration for the creation of this “Legacy” project for the sesquicentennial. The saddle was created in celebration of Nevada 150 by the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority, J.M. Capriola Co. and Dee Dee Garcia-White.
A state-wide simultaneous sing along of “Home Means Nevada.”
Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki announced one of the final Sesquicentennial initiatives and invited fellow Nevadans to join him, Gov. Brian Sandoval and the Nevada 150 Commission for #NevadaSings, a state-wide simultaneous sing along of “Home Means Nevada.” On Thursday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m., Nevadans will join together to demonstrate their state pride by singing a rendition of “Home Means Nevada” in an attempt to set a record for the most people in an American state to sing their state song at the same time.