Cory Seamann, a Nebraska sandhills native, has been in leatherworking for over 15 years and is best known for his chaps and chinks. His work has won awards at prestigious competitions like the Northwest Leather Masters Competition at the Pendleton Leather Show.

 

As a 5th generation rancher, Cory grew up cowboying and always used his own gear to test it out. He has extensive experience working with both cowpunchers down south and up north with buckaroos. He has a vast understanding of how all types of gear are used and work for each job. 

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Cory got his start in leatherworking when he bought a tool set as a teenager. He starting making belts, chinks, and doing saddle repair.  He has always been interested in “the way things work.” In college, when he had trouble fitting a saddle to a horse, he helped a friend with some leather repairs and he showed him how to make a saddle.

 

It was during Cory's pursuit of an animal science degree in college that he decided to get more serious about leatherwork and saddle making and took a course at Green Country Technical Center in Oklahoma. There he learned to make boots and saddles, a skill that he used when he went home to help on the family ranch in Burwell, NE.

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Before moving to Montana, Seamann stayed at the family ranch while alternately doing duty with the National Guard. He estimates in his time in leatherworking, he has made over 500 pairs of chaps and chinks. “I make a custom pattern every time I make a pair of chaps or chinks,” he said. “Most of my clients are working cowboys and I’ve shipped products to over 47 states.”

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Cory opened Coyote Valley Academy which offers in-person classes in his shop, Coyote Valley Saddle Shop, in Broadus, MT, teaching students everything from floral design, carving & tooling, to making chinks, chaps, and saddles.

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