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Mostly it was my brother Mike’s fault.

In the fall of 93 he was working for a cow outfit near McDermitt Nevada. An old buckaroo there got Mike started braiding rawhide. He came home for Christmas. I was still in school, not sure which path my life would take. Mike brought out a knot he was working on. I picked it up – and never put it down.

While bronc riding, and traveling with the FFA, I found many old rawhide braiders in Oregon’s corners. There were lessons to be learned in every tack room and western store from Bonanza to Zumalt Prairie. Much of that gear was pretty rustic, but everything was another lesson in function, and construction.

In Pendleton I met Duff Severe. He was a quiet old gentleman, his mind was keen and he enjoyed new knots. He allowed at that time that I was the only young braider he knew. I made many pilgrimages to his cabin and learned a lot there. I miss him.

I found Jack Shepherd in the spring of 1999. Fern answered the door very cautiously. With hat in hand I explained that Duff had sent me by. The door opened wide, and another valued friendship began.  My copy of Jack’s biography is inscribed “to Steve, Rebekah, and baby Harris Love Fern”.

Many, many people have given me valuable insights and useful criticism. Bill Black has been a great encouragement to me and many others. His braiding was already exquisite when I was just beginning. Bill is a leader as a craftsman, horseman, and teacher. I recall Clark Morris holding my first set of bridle reins (they measured a wopping ten feet) “Wow Steve, what are you gonna do with these, drive a team?” I was deflated, but after that I began paying more attention to proportions and less attention to fancy knots.

It was at Ernie Marsh’s John Day Valley Roundup rodeo that I first met Mario Hanel, he and his family are beloved friends. Terrance and Katie had set up at Jordan Valley; I stood for a long time in his wall tent looking at his saddles and trees; there are a lot of really good makers, but something in his work spoke to me. The McGowan and Hanel families have greatly benefited my personal life and craftsmanship. My work is different than theirs, but I hope to match the quality and integrity I see in the lives and work of these two families.

I moved back to Oregon, though I kept cowboying, braiding, and traveling to riata ropings and tradeshows in California, Nevada, and Oregon. Grampa C.M. Johnson worked in the shop with me in those days. Walt Clemons let me work in his leathershop. Cy and Maxine Swan befriended me. I branded in the desert, chased wild cows on the coast, and tried to make really good hackamores. Dad and I put together a small cowherd. My father and grandfather are my heroes and mentors, men who through their actions defined integrity, faith, and hard work.

When Rebekah arrived in my life everything got better! We married in 2008, moved to Eastern Oregon, lived there and here, settling back in Roseburg in 2013. Merlin & Faithe Rupp became dear friends when we lived in Harney County. We named Caitriona Faithe for Faithe Rupp.

The Harris Vaquero Gear shop is busy now. Daughters Caitrona and Mairi are apprentices. We usually have students and colleagues in the shop. Jake Ellis makes HFG saddles. I am the janitor, but I also scrape hides, braid, teach, and write. Rebekah teaches our children, and helps me in so many ways. She is the great blessing of my life.

I am grateful for the people who have driven me forward in craftsmanship: The Old Time Vaqueros whose work is in the Museum of the Cowboy in Los Olivos, Michael Mark, who thinks deeply and asks good questions; Jake Ellis, who has a quiet, methodical surface over a great fountain of creativity and zeal; Nyk Feller, who strives to do his best and is devoting his talent to braiding; Neil Harvey, whose boundless energy and goodwill are an example I seek to follow; Clint Surplus, and Scott DePaolo... There too many to name!

God is kind to us. There is room to grow. We are holding on to the Old Ways, working to carry Vaquero Horsemanship and the best of Rural America into the future. I am honored and blessed to live at this time, grateful to all who have invested in my life, my horsemanship, and my braiding. I will share what I’ve been given.