Bates Australia

Bates Saddlery was formed in 1934 when Mr George Bates borrowed $100 from his sister, bought a sewing machine and began to make saddles on the verandah of his home in Perth, Western Australia. From these humble beginnings, Bates Saddlery has grown to become one of the most respected manufacturers of riding saddles in the world.

From inception, the aim of George Bates was to produce high quality saddles for a variety of equestrian uses and over the decades the company has remained true to its founder's vision.

Today the company, renamed Bates Australia, is run by one of the founder's grandsons, Ron Bates, with another grandson, Ken Bates, being responsible for research and development. Under Ron's leadership and Ken's development the company has broken new ground in saddle manufacturing technology.

Their innovative approach to saddle manufacturing saw the worldwide release of the Wintec range of saddles in 1986. Wintec was the first saddle to be manufactured from high-tech synthetic materials and set about modernising an industry firmly planted in tradition. Wintec Saddles were extraordinarily lightweight, easy-care, high quality and fun with a range of bright colours available. Wintec saddles provided riders around the world with a quality alternative to leather saddles that sought to create more ease for rider’s to find time to spend with their horses. It was accepted enthusiastically by riders at all levels, including Olympians. The excellence of the Wintec range was demonstrated during the 1992 Olympics, when Isabell Werth rode in a Wintec saddle in the gold medal-winning German Dressage team.

"I am excited and honoured to be part of the Bates team, being based in Europe it’s great to be an ambassador or an Australian saddle brand that is truly international. My saddle is of the utmost importance along with training, health and fitness to enable us to perform at our best.

Over my riding career, I have ridden in many different saddles, however I was immediately impressed by the Bates IsabelI. The Isabell saddle allows for improved communication between horse and rider. This ensures my horses continue to feel free and soft in the back and I have an even greater connection and understanding as to what is happening underneath me.

The CAIR Panel System a revolutionary concept that distributes my weight evenly over the horse’s back. The even weight distribution eliminates the possibility of pressure points and possible discomfort for my horses. This is especially important to all horses but particularly those who are being worked regularly and asked to perform at the highest level." Hayley Beresford