Jean-Pierre “Pedro” Pedrini was born in France in 1952. He discovered an interest in Western riding and leather craft as a youth, which inspired several trips to the United States to learn saddlemaking skills. In 1984, he came to stay. He established the Pedrini Saddle Company in 1990, became a United States citizen in 1992 and a TCAA member in 2007. Named 2008 Saddlemaker of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists, Pedrini and his son, Tony, reside in Pendleton, Oregon.