Tamara’s saddlery journey
Winning awards for her leatherwork has been a proud achievement for Tamara Hug, a part-time saddlery and shoemaking student at Capel Manor College who has discovered a passion for traditional craftsmanship and a talent for turning simple pieces of leather into beautifully finished products.
Earlier in the year, Tamara was rewarded at the prestigious Society of Master Saddlers National Saddlery Competition with two first-place awards in the Intermediate and Trainee Bridlework Classes, third place in the highly competitive Open Bridle Class, and the prestigious Les Coker Millennium Trophy (for the best entry by an apprentice or trainee). You can read more about her wins here.
She has also more recently gone on to win Best in Show at the Hertfordshire County Show for a falcon hood and case she created.
For Tamara, these achievements reflect not just her developing skills, but the patience and determination that have helped her progress.
Discovering the possibilities of leatherwork
Having spent her career working in education, Tamara came to saddlery and leatherwork with a willingness to try something new. Studying part-time at Capel Manor College has given her the opportunity to develop new, unique and valuable skills and to explore a craft that she finds both challenging and rewarding.
One of the things she loves most is the creative process itself: taking a flat piece of leather and transforming it into something functional and three-dimensional.
Since starting her studies, Tamara has worked on a variety of projects, including bridles, stirrup leathers, dog leads, bags and even repairs to antique leather goods!
“The skills that you learn, the discipline that you learn from doing saddlery enables you to make really good quality bags,” she explains.
Learning to cut, stitch and finish leather to a high standard has given Tamara a deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship behind the items people use every day, as well as the possibilities for creating things of her own.
The importance of perseverance
Tamara’s competition success hasn’t come without hard work. When preparing the double bridle that won her the trainee class, she remade its browband four times – until she was satisfied with the result. She wasn’t prepared to submit something that she didn’t feel was of a high enough standard.
That determination is something she believes is essential for anyone learning a practical craft. Working with leather requires patience, and mistakes are part of the process. The material itself can sometimes behave unexpectedly, meaning that a piece may need to be started again.
Her advice to anyone considering saddlery and leatherwork is simple: keep practising, accept that things will sometimes go wrong, and remember how rewarding it is when you master a new skill.
“You’ve got to keep doing it,” she says. “You’ve got to accept that things are going to go wrong. You’re going to have to make things more than once in order to really learn that skill.”
Learning from others and preserving a traditional craft
Tamara also values the opportunity to learn alongside other students, sharing ideas and experiences in the classroom. She praises her tutor, Naomi Rodgers, for supporting learners with different levels of experience and ambitions, from those just beginning to develop their sewing skills to those working towards professional qualifications.
Tamara is particularly passionate about keeping traditional saddlery skills alive. In a world increasingly shaped by digital technology and mass-produced goods, she believes there is real value in learning a hands-on skill and passing knowledge from one person to another.
High-quality leatherwork can last for decades when properly made and cared for. For Tamara, that durability is part of what makes the craft so worthwhile.
Working towards the next milestone
Tamara’s ambitions extend beyond her competition wins. She is currently studying The Worshipful Company of Saddlers Certificates (Level 2) and hopes to continue to Level 3, with the longer-term goal of becoming a qualified saddler.
Her journey is a reminder that learning something new can lead to opportunities you might never have anticipated, from developing a creative hobby to pursuing professional qualifications and exploring new areas of craftsmanship.
Take your first step into saddlery and leatherwork
Tamara’s story highlights the breadth of possibilities within saddlery and leatherwork. Alongside making and repairing saddles and bridles, the techniques involved can be applied to a wide range of leather goods, offering opportunities for creative projects and further professional development.
For anyone considering the subject, Tamara’s advice is to give it a go, be prepared to practise and don’t let the fear of making mistakes hold you back. As her own achievements demonstrate, patience and perseverance can take you a long way.
Find out more about the saddlery and shoemaking courses available at Capel Manor College.
