About Wayne Dollar

I started building spurs in 1980 while day-working on ranches in the Texas panhandle and running the Exxon service station in Adrian that my wife and I bought that year. I had participated in high school and amateur rodeos and considered myself a cowboy. I didn't have a clue how little I knew, but the cowboys in the area were willing to teach and coach me. Not only did they show me how to gather cattle out of a 3 to 6 section pasture and how to work around the branding, ...flanking calves, vaccinating, dehorning and castrating..., they also taught me some cowboy ethics. After noticing their gear, I decided I needed a pair of handmade spurs. I could not afford HANDMADE, so I decided I'd make my own. My first try wasn't much. My second try was good enough to use. My third pair was an order from Jim Bob Walden, a local cowboy. When I started, all the equipment I had was an acetylene torch, a hack saw and a file. I got silver mounting lessons and some basic information from the late, Great Jerry Cates. Mostly I learned from trial and error.

We moved to Hereford Texas in '83 and while trucking, I continued to build spurs. I started working in feed yards in '85 and continued to build spurs, bits and buckles out of my garage. In the early 1990's, I partnered up with Wayne Dyess so we could share equipment. We were both small time makers. Previously, I had gone broke twice trying to be a full time maker, and this was my third shot at being full time. We decided to mark our items with stamps that were a set of dice and a dollar mark. Wayne Dyess preferred to build bits. I preferred to build spurs. If I made the item, the dollar mark came first. If Wayne Dyess made it, a pair of dice came first. I met Don Rogers, another spur and bit maker, in the late 80's. He and I have remained friends, sharing ideas, techniques, supplies and equipment to this day. Our shops are actually next door to each other. I've learned more from Don than any other maker because of our close relationship. I've broken horses, worked on ranches, worked in feed yards, been a bull rider, bareback rider, tried my hand at cutting and team roping. I am constantly learning I don't know much, but I think I make a pretty nice pair of spurs.

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