As the bright morning sun burst over the southern AZ landscape Thursday morning, February 9, 2012, the sweet spirit of Paul Bond bid “Adios”. His legend, teachings, and traditions will abide in those he touched and left behind.

Photo by Joel Grimes

Paul Bond was born into a Seminole Texas ranching family, and grew up in Carlsbad, New Mexico. During his high school years, he worked in a local saddle and boot shop as well as training mounts for the Calvary.

He started making handmade custom boots because he enjoyed it in 1932, and continued through his successful career as a top bareback rider and trick rider. He started his custom handmade cowboy boots business in 1946, while continuing rodeoing through 1951.

Paul Bond moved his handmade western boots operation to Nogales Arizona in 1955, working his way to its present location (the barn) in 1979.  In 1992, he was honored with induction into the Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Paul, "Mr. B",  became known for handmade boots that would serve well the cowboy and cowgirl at work or leisure, and for his boot designs of decorative patterns inspired by livestock, wildlife, and the southwest landscape. They offer their owners a unique means of expressing themselves; a way of standing out in a crowd, be it on a ranch or an urban environment.

He then engrained his goals and standards into each of the members of the Paul Bond Boots family.

Paul Bond Custom Boots have been and are worn in several countries and by a broad range of celebrities, including cowboys & cowgirls, athletes, singers, race car drivers, movie & TV stars, and US statesmen.

As one of the many articles about Paul, founder, father, teacher, mentor, and friend, put it, “Think of your favorite hobby. Now imagine being able to devote your life to that passion, as you craft a product that people all over the world are willing to pay a premium price to own. Not bad. …. Paul Bond has had that good fortune.” (A Cowboy's Story: The Western Life of Paul Bond, By Mark Bedor, in The Cowboy Way, published by PARAGON Foundation, Inc.)

- Vaya con Dios, Mr. B -