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Leaders & Pioneers
The leather crafting world is a tight-knit community of caring folks. Through competitions around the globe, quality work and contributions to the profession are recognized.
The most notable award, is the Al Stohlman Award. It honors the accomplishments of individual leather workers worldwide for their continued dedication and exemplary service to leathercraft.
It is the most prestegious award in leathercraft, and each of the winners has made significant contributions to the trade. Below, you can learn more about the winners, where they’re from, and what they are most known for.
Year | Name | From | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Chris "Slickbald" Andre | Colorado, USA | Leather Carving |
2021 | Michiko Matsuda | Japan | Leather Art |
| 2020 | Jurgen Volbach | Cologne, Germany | Leather Carving |
| 2019 | Honghao Cai | Beijing, China | Leather Carving |
| 2018 | Jim Jackson | Wyoming, USA | Saddlery |
| 2017 | Serge Volken | Lausanne, Switzerland | Historical Leather |
| 2016 | Kathy Flanagan | Colorado, USA | Leather Art |
| 2015 | Bob Park | Arizona, USA | Saddlery |
| 2014 | None Awarded | - | - |
| 2013 | Akiko Okada | Kanagawa, Japan | Leather Art |
| 2013 | Wayne Christensen | California, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 2012 | Kay Orton | Colorado, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 2011 | Don Butler | Wyoming, USA | Saddlery |
| 2010 | Bob Klenda | Colorado, USA | Saddlery |
| 2010 | Harold Bligan | Indiana, USA | Leather Traching |
| 2009 | Al Gould | California, USA | Saddlery |
| 2008 | Cherryl McIntyre | Brisbane, Australia | Leather Teaching |
| 2007 | Pete Gorrell | Montana, USA | Saddlery |
| 2006 | Verlane Desgrange | Florida, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 2005 | Chan Geer | Montana, USA | Saddlery |
| 2004 | Al Shelton | California, USA | Leather Art |
| 2004 | Bill & Dot Reis | Wisconsin, USA | Leather Publishers |
| 2003 | Jim Lind | Wyoming, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 2002 | Jim Linnell | Montana, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 2001 | Jesse Smith | Washington, USA | Saddlery |
| 2000 | Roz Kaohn | New Jersey, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1999 | Tony Laier | Colorado, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1998 | Don King | Wyoming, USA | Saddlery |
| 1998 | Peter Main | Sydney, Australia | Leather Crafting |
| 1997 | Silva Fox | Tennessee, USA | Leather Sculpting |
| 1996 | Chuck Smith | Texas, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1995 | Beth Berry | Wyoming, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1994 | Ava Ostrander | Florida, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1993 | Dick Giehl | Missouri, USA | Leather Writer |
| 1992 | Ben Moody | Texas, USA | Saddlery |
| 1991 | George Hurst | Pennsylvania, USA | Leather Writer |
| 1990 | None Awarded | - | - |
| 1989 | Karla Van Horne | Ontario, Canada | Leather Carving |
| 1988 | Kat Kuszak | Nebraska, USA | Leather Carving |
1987 | Robert "Bob" Beard | South Carolina, USA | Leather Tools |
| 1986 | Bill Gomer | Kansas, USA | Saddlery |
| 1985 | Robb Barr | North Dakota, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1984 | Roberta & Ken Griffin | Oklahoma, USA | Leather Teaching |
| 1983 | Paul Burnett | Tennessee, USA | Leather Teaching |
If you are curious for more information about each of the winners, Elk Tracks Studio (click here to visit the page) has put together extensive biographies that are a valuable read.
