"The Legend"
"The Legend" was commissioned by Happy Trails Children's Foundation to raise financial support for Roy Rogers & Dale Evans' favorite children's charity.
The hand engraved silver work for the reproduction came from Arizona's silversmith, Conrad Anderson. Anderson created the silver hardware based on the Bohlin silver on Roy's original saddle. Anderson made a special trip to California, before the Roy Rogers - Dale Evans Museum moved to Branson, MO, to conduct a survey of the saddle before starting the project.
My Dad and I made a two day trip to California to survey the saddle also. Joel "Dutch" Dortch, Executive Director of Happy Trails Children's Foundation, was our gracious host for those two days. Roy "Dusty" Rogers, Jr. opened up the museum to us and allowed me to take measurements and tracings, photos and film footage of the saddle, behind the glass display. The saddle is mounted on Trigger, who Roy had had stuffed. With Trigger in the display was Buttermilk, Bullet and several other stuffed animals. Roy use to joke that when he died he wanted to be stuffed and mounted in his saddle on Trigger. Dusty entertained us with a story he use to tell when both his parents were still alive. He said, "Trigger died and Dad had him stuffed. Bullet died and Dad had him stuffed. Buttermilk died and Dad had her stuffed. Now Mom sleeps with one eye open!" We had a great time in California with Dusty and Dutch.
The Legend was estimated to be worth $50,000.00 when completed. It was raffled off in 2003, having raised nearly $100,000.00 for Happy Trails Children's Foundation. The lady who won the saddle had purchased six tickets for a hundred bucks. For current items offered by Happy Trails you can contact them at:
Happy Trails Children's Foundation
10755 Apple Valley Road
Apple Valley, CA 92308
Phone: (760) 240-3330
