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eshop at web store for Tack Horses Bits & Spurs Made in the USA at Ocken Bit and Spur in product category Sports & Outdoors



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Win up to $10,000 by using Made in America Secrets, it is the only website providing product specific links for Made in America Tack Horses Bits & Spurs, and 10,000 other Made in the USA products. Finding any of the American Made products in our database is made easy by using our search and navigation buttons. Clicking any of our links that result from searching for products connects the consumer to an online store that sells them.

Made in America Secrets is a unique search engine like tool that when used, returns only Made in America product providers and their web stores. We also are the only website giving away up to $10,000 for buying Ameircan made products. Our giveaway includes more too. Visitors can also WIN $100 and $1,000 just for buying Made in America products through our website. Check out our WIN $10,000 page it provides the complete details. No gimicks either we pay real money!

Since it's free - try our site next time you are looking for anything made in the US like American Furniture, American Apparel & Clothing, or even Watches that are Made in Detorit, Michigan. Check out our Gift Ideas tab when searching for Made in USA gifts it's quick and easy saving you valuable time. Also if you love Pinterest like we do, check out our Pinnables tab or go direct to our Pinterest Boards. These images are great as reminders for the next time you want to buy American Made products. Our research told us approximately 150,000,000 US consumers are either very interested or extremely interested in buying Made in America products. For them, one of the greatest deterrents to buying Made in America products is not being able to quickly find them. We solve that problem with Made In America Secrets it makes it easy for the US consumer to find and buy any one of thousands of Made in America products. The following are a few examples of these:


Made in America products in the Sports & Outdoors category: Made in the USA Tack Horses Bits & Spurs, Climbing Ropes & Nets, Olympic Bars, Shrimp Tail Teasers, Catfish Baits, Rifles, Snowshoes, Leather Sheath, Duffle Packs, Wader Hangers, Swivels, Steelhead Fishing Tackle, Baseball Bats, Steelhead Fishing Rods, Letter Opener Knife / Knives, Riding Spurs, Firearms, Headwear, Snowboard Bindings, Pressing Chairs, Coolers. All from great Made in the USA manufacturers. We link the consumer to thousands of American Made products in over fifty categories.


Become a more informed Made in the USA shopper by reading our buying tips
The Tip is 'City Magazines'

I was in the magazine section recently and saw the Indianapolis Monthly. The cover title read "Made In Indiana." I read the article and was amazed that all sorts of things were being made in the state. This is contrary to what most American's believe. Most of us think everything is made overseas. We still make the majority of what we consume and our buying tips we call Little Secrets help you realize that. Being from Indiana, I decided to visit several of the referenced web sites and I am proud to say I have purchased some of the best products ever. All thanks to the "City Monthly Magazine".

Other city magazines like the Portland Oregon monthly are full of wonderful facts about Made in America businesses. According to the Portland monthly, Oregonians have long had a love affair with beer and Portland is the unofficial brewery capital of America. As I recall, from reading the city magazine, Portland has 35 breweries with Oregon having over 100. During the summer Portland has three beer festivals that draw over 100,000 people.

Oregonians love affair with beer is responsible for a great Made in America product. This is evidenced by a popular Saturday morning CBS TV program choosing five made in Oregon beers as the best in America. Even though Budweiser Made in America is the most recognized it was not even on the list. According to CBS the top five beers in America are Widmer Hefeweizen , Full Sail Session Lager, Deschutes Green Lakes Ale, Bridgeport IPA, and Rogue Dead Guy Ale.


Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by Ocken Bit and Spur

A long line of horsemen and women preceded us. We have had the privilege of pursuing our dreams, but also had ingrained in us a work ethic to make those dreams a beautiful reality.

OUR BUSINESS

Our business began as an adventure to learn something we were passionate about--quality cowboy gear. We were awarded a Cooperative Teacher Creativity Grant from the Lilly Foundation (Yes, we are also educators--we pursued this passion of ours to refresh ourselves and learn something new!) to study bit and spur making.

We originally had no intention of building a business, we just wanted to make our own spurs, bits, and buckles, we wanted to have a creative outlet. It was also a tribute to the past, as Jay's Great Uncle was a silversmith in Chicago, and his Great- Great Grandfather was a watch maker.

We had also grown very tired of the box stores and products that were stamped out with no human hands ever touching them, and no heart going into how they were made.

We traveled to Alberta, Canada to work with Vernon Lynes, a bit and spur maker. The unexpected taught us a lot. We came back and built our own studio/ shop. Then began to build the gear.

I wanted to learn more about the engraving, so I went to Alpine, Texas and worked with the most outstanding Teacher I have EVER had-Johnny Weyerts. It was wonderful! Check out his site: www.engravinginstruction.com

Since then we have worked hard and played hard in our shop. Forming a business was not what we initially planned, but the unexpected can lead down amazing paths. We continue to travel foward together.

We would again like to thank our families for the years of teaching and support they have given us.

We would like to thank those customers who took a risk in having us build their gear in the beginning! (Brian Nielson, Jennifer and Al Andrews, Gerry Hostetler, Josh and Rosie Ziegler, Keith Fritcha, and Joann Snyder)

We would also like to thank Jennifer Ocken for the photography--the ones on this site that are outstanding were taken by her--the others I attempted, thus I will be sticking to the engraving. Jennifer@ockenphotography.com



I must not forget to thank the difficult horses, who made my life miserable, but who were better teachers than the well- behaved school horses who raised no problems.

Alois Podhaisky, director of the Spanish Riding School, 1939





WHO WE ARE

Jay and his family have raised and shown horses for several generations. He has benefitted greatly from the knowledge base of his parents.

Jay began shoeing horses at the age of 14 apprenticing under Tom Beard. He attended Ball State University and earned a degree in Industrial Technology through his hard work shoeing.

IBHA was a big part of Jay's youth. He was the IBHA Youth Supreme Champion in 1991. He enjoyed great success in IHSA during his years at Ball State.

He is an Industrial Technology Educator for Whitko Community School Corporation during the school year.

During his off time, he is a part-time farrier, as well as the bit and spur maker in our shop. His knowledge base of metal and horses gives him an edge in this profession. He is extremely particular about his work and a perfectionist- which makes him a tough boss! Gotta love him!



Generations of knowledge about horses have been passed on to me as well. I showed growing up, and sold those horses to help pay for my college education. While at BSU, I also enjoyed success through IHSA. GO BSET!

I graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. I currently am an Educator for Huntington County Community School Corporation.

I am enthralled with the artistic energy that comes from engraving and designing!

It is a great life to do the things you love on a daily basis!



Jay and I met while competing on the Ball State Equestrian Team. We have three children and enjoy watching their love of horses bloom and riding skills continue to develop.

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