2026 Bit Entries
All photos by Nicole Poyo Photography
#1: Jon Peters
Clean, classic, and classy lines was what I was going for. My inspiration was to create a timeless piece featuring clean engraving and detailed craftsmanship. It has 24 carat gold and pure silver inlay.
#2: Amy Erickson
This great bit features a finely balanced medium port curb with a steel core cricket overlaid in heavy copper for a smooth, responsive feel. The mouth is 5 1/8″ wide. Sterling silver candy stripes frame each cheek, complementing intricate sterling filigree accents and high-relief engraving cut directly into the steel. Finished in a classic French grey that enhances depth and contrast, this bit reflects precise craftsmanship and timeless Western style. Beautifully weighted and balanced, it’s as much a refined using bit as it is a collector’s piece.
#3: Markus Sommer
This is my first submission to the Cowboy Arts and Gear contest and it was a lot of fun trying to build some functional and unique. The cheeks were altered to have rein rings and an engraved silver overlayed slobber bar with flat engraved swivel ends, they’re silver overlayed with 3 pieces per side with cut flowers and scrolls then engraved. The mouthpiece is 5 1/8″ wide, hand forged from 1/2″ cold rolled steel with handmade 3 piece copper soldered cricket.
#4: Tom Rainey & Marisa Julian
For this year’s Fresno cheek we wanted to make something that was classy and traditional but also very functional for a fine hand on a nicely finished horse. Something you could ride in all day sorting pairs or weaning in the fall and then shine up and put on your coffee table when company was coming over. We decided on a full silver overlay with filigree, 14 gauge copper inlay border and engraved copper accents. Keeping function, balance and feel in mind throughout the build we removed extra material in the cheek opening to lighten it up and get the weight to match the desired responsiveness after test fitting all the rough parts multiple times throughout the build. The mouthpiece is a 5-1/8” wide by 2-1/4” tall 7/16” tapered Barqueno with a little tongue relief, copper wrapped brace wires, copper inlay across the bars and engraved steel core copper roller. Engraved copper domes cover the rein attachments and the stainless steel slobber chains and a cold bluing finish out the build.
Read more about Tom Rainey & Marisa Julian
#5: George Elsner
This beautifully balanced bit shines with a classic bright cut engraving with the little details telling the story: Jaquima to freno. A unique take on the traditional Fresno style.
Photos coming soon!
#6: Connor Garwood
Full steel engraved with fine silver inlay. This bit has a hoodless Salinas mouthpiece.
Read more about Connor Garwood
#7: Ryan Erickson
Fine silver inlay border, relief engraved cheek. Mouth is a modified Desueñado, copper strip inlay, 5” wide.
#8: Carlee Stutz
Spade mouthpiece measuring just under 4” tall and slightly over 5⅛” wide, with double copper rollers and a copper overlay tucked under the spoon. The inside of the cheek is engraved steel, and the outside features fine silver inlaid stripes and heavy-gauge domed sterling overlays.
#10: Ross & Brook Toone
We’re thrilled to step out of our comfort zone and enter the 2025 bit-building competition. After crafting a couple of bits each year and refining our skills with every piece, we’ve made subtle adjustments to the Fresno cheek to align with the engraving’s scroll lines. We added hand-sculpted brass flowers and sterling silver overlays to complement the French grey steel finish. The proven tall spade mouthpiece—engraved for some class—carries well in a horse’s mouth, based on rider feedback. A three-piece cricket should deliver a pleasing sound when rolled, with the copper-wrapped braces a horse should enjoy packing it all day.
Read more about Ross & Brook Toone
Photos coming soon!
#12: Chad Helmick
Wire inlay with deep relief engraving. This is just a good using bit.
#13: Riley Wells
This bridle bit is one that made me stretch and learn a whole bunch! This year’s Fresno cheeks I modified some to make it closer to a 2:1 ratio bit to make it feel and function like the most common bridle bits we all use and love, as well as cut away some steel to give it a few different eye appealing lines and edges. The border is all inlaid with fine silver and then deep relief engraved inside of them with a few copper overlay flowers. The finish was done with a hot salt bluing process that makes the steel a dark matte black, then I French greyed the engraving and added some ink to make it pop! The mouth is a 4” spoon spade with a small amount of tongue relief and copper wire wrapped braces, to embellish that I engraved the spoon and added copper inlay flowers and borders.
#14: Andrew Lewis
This bit is 5-1/8” wide, and the port measures 2.5” tall. It has a 2:1 ratio. The inlay is 56% silver solder and welded in. Being a ring bit, it may not fit every horse, but is more likely to fit a horse wearing a size 0 front shoe. Like most ring bits, the cheeks are welded solid at the mouth bar. There is double the chain needed on this bit, with the idea that if you don’t like how it hangs, start taking chains off until it suits your horse. The crickets have tool inserts and ride on tool steel as well. The large roller reads “Burn the wild horse and burro act of 1971”. The stirrups, pins, and small s-hooks are all tool steel, the s hooks at the end of the rein chains are mild steel for ease of rein changes. Rein chains made by Zach Bay.
#15: Stephen Hoyt
- Full sterling silver overlay
- Hand engraved
- Loose jaw 5 3/16”wide
- 4” tall spade with copper roller
- Copper cricket with steel core
- Handmade slobber chains
- Handmade rein chains
#16: Jens Berg
“Two Dozen Roses”
This bit is named after Shenandoah’s song “Two Dozen Roses”.
Each cheek piece has 12 inlayed silver roses that are sculpted for extra depth and shine that catches the light. The scrollwork is a mix of inlayed silver and on-metal deep-relief engraving.
The mouthpiece has a medium-sized port with an inlayed copper cricket and also features scrollwork on the spoon that is both on-metal and inlayed silver.
Pair this bit with an “older bottle of wine” and maybe she’ll change her mind!
Photos coming soon!
#18: Kaydence Potratz
This exceptional bit represents a milestone in Western craftsmanship – created as my inaugural piece for the CAGM contest and auction, it is also my first ever bit! The mouth piece is a high port with a roller. The bright cut engraving showcases a flowing floral design that catches and reflects light beautifully. Completed after just one week of engraving instruction under master craftsman John Wright, who generously provided guidance and metalwork assistance, this bit combines traditional technique with fresh perspective. A unique opportunity to own a functional piece that marks the beginning of a maker’s journey in the time-honored tradition of cowboy gear.
Read more about Kaydence Potratz
#20: Richard Brooks & Leighton Brooks
5 1/4” wide x 4” tall spade mouth with silver/copper overlayed flower spray (carefully engraved and smoothed out as not to affect function or sore up mouth), stirrup rein swivels (with forward stops), french grey finish on steel.
Fine silver inlays, sterling silver conchos and buttons, Inside cheeks are engraved steel with inlaid fine silver borders. Copper/sterling mokume ferrules on the braces (half ferrules and half wire wrapped- what we call Joe Bruce style braces)
Read more about Richard & Leighton Brooks
Complete Set Bit by John Wright
This bit is donated with a headstall and Bret Haskett’s rawhide romal reins. The bit is NOT auctioning off by itself, only as part of the complete set up as pictured on the 2026 Auction page.
This bit features a classic bright cut design with a cathedral and copper hood mouthpiece.