From Pain Comes New Passion
[Notice the similarities to Mike’s story.]
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
by Howard Senzell
1 Mar 12
At 64, Tom Thomason believes everything happens for a reason, but while he was confined to bed with a crushed right foot and ankle in 1998, his faith was tested.
The Healdsburg resident was at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa after being hit head-on by a driver traveling in the opposite direction on Highway 121 who came into his lane.
As he spent 26 days in the hospital and nearby rehabilitation facility, Thomason had plenty of time to ponder his future.
“I was wondering if something good was going to come out of this because I knew the accident happened for a reason,” Thomason said. “For a long time, I didn’t know the answer.”
First, the news was bad. He would always have pain in his shattered foot. If that wasn’t bad enough, he would have to find a new job. His position as a sales manager for a grocery shipping company had been eliminated.
That was followed by the good news, or serendipity as Thomason now refers to his life turn.
“Back then, the state of California Workers Compensation department offered job retraining assistance for those who qualified.” By chance, Thomason found something that interested him.
“I was 51 at the time and had been around horses most of my life,” he said. “One day, I was reading Western Horseman magazine and the last few pages were classified ads. One that caught my eye was for a saddle making school in Bishop. It seemed like a natural fit for me.
“I like working with my hands, and this was a job that would keep me involved with horses and horse people.”
Thomason called several tack shops in Sonoma County and asked if they knew of anyone who made saddles and repaired tack.
“I learned there weren’t many saddle makers in the area,” he said. “Several of the well-respected guys that worked with leather had retired or moved on. So, I decided that’s what I wanted to do.”
To get money to attend school, Thomason had to make a presentation to the Workers’ Compensation department about why saddle making would be a good profession for him. He was convincing and moved to Bishop to attend the three-month course.
“I wound up receiving $40,000,” he said. “I used the money for tuition and living expenses while I was still unable to work, and for tools I needed to open my business.”
With a diploma and tools in hand, Thomason returned to Healdsburg and set up shop in his garage. Turned out he was a natural at working with leather and business was good from the start.
By the following year, he was looking for new digs. He wanted to be around horses and horse people, and there was a perfect spot on Dry Creek Road near Highway 101. It was a five-acre spread called Hoofbeat Park that was home to the Russian River Riders club. Already a member, Thomason convinced the board of directors that a saddle shop on the property made sense.
An agreement was quickly reached. In exchange for being a staff of one at the park and paying the electric and water bill each month, he wouldn’t have to pay any rent.
The clubhouse that houses Thomason Custom Saddlery was built in 1952 and hasn’t changed since then. Originally, the Russian River Riders called the room the Wild Horse Saloon (the sign still hangs on a wall).
Walking into the shop is like taking a step back in time. Over the door is a wooden sign engraved “Old Timers Welcome.” The smell of leather permeates the air and, more likely than not, Thomason and a friend or two will be shooting the breeze while he works on a saddle or does repair work.
Besides making saddles, Thomason has expanded to do heavy-duty sewing and other kinds of leather repair. His wife, Barbara, is a partner in the business and makes horse blankets and works with soft material. She’s also a member of Russian River Riders.
“I’m not getting rich, but I’m doing what I enjoy,” Thomason says. “I don’t charge as much as other places and do charity work for the Boy Scouts, Pony Club and other groups. I’m just happy with my life now.”
Before the accident, Thomason said, his job was stressful and kept him on the road a lot. And although the car wreck was life-changing, he never would have discovered saddle making had it not happened.
“Yes, the foot still hurts some, but what came out of the accident has been a blessing,” he said.
“It’s serendipity. That’s the perfect word for how things turned out.”
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