Syd Hill Saddles

Since its founding in 1865, Syd Hill & Sons has been a highly regarded company and brand in the saddlery sector of the industry.

We have taken great satisfaction in the fact that we have been able to design, manufacture, and supply our devoted clients with the highest quality saddlery for the past 150 years, and even after six generations, we are still working towards that goal.

John Hill, a craft saddler, travelled all the way from England to Sydney in the middle of the 1800s, when he bartered a gallon of rum for a piece of real estate. Before making the move to Brisbane, John had been a resident of Sydney for a total of six years. Due to the fact that he was the sole saddler in Queensland, he decided to launch his company on George Street, directly across from the Treasury building.

All four of John’s sons, Frederick, Herbert, Steven, and Harry, followed in their father’s footsteps as merchants and worked for the family business. As a result of Frederick’s skilled craftsmanship in the saddlery industry, he was recognised for his achievements with medals and trophies at the Universal Exposition held in Paris in 1889.

During the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, Herbert, Steven, and Harry decided to go their separate ways and start their own business, whilst Fredrick remained with the family enterprise. He was given the responsibility of ensuring that 15 soldiers were fully outfitted with all they needed for combat every two weeks. Syd, Fredrick’s son, would spend time after school painting hardware khaki, and in 1934, the business was handed on to him. Syd also inherited Fredrick’s love of painting.

Arthur, Frederic (sometimes spelt Frederick), and James (also spelt James) were Syd’s three sons (Len). They continued the family business with the help of their father until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, at which point they abandoned it. Due to physical complications, Fred and Jim were unable to serve, so they decided to finish their education instead while Len participated in the Battle of Wau and came back in 1946.

1948 was the year that Syd took his retirement, and he handed the business over to his sons Fred and Jim to manage the manufacturing, and Len to manage the office. In the southern hemisphere, Jim’s company is now the largest maker of leather saddlery and commodities because to his innovative abilities and keen insight into the requirements and preferences of the next generation of horsemen. Before he was killed in a terrible car accident, Fred was a father to two young boys. Len was a father to four children, while Jim had three. In 1975, Paul, Jim’s youngest son, began studying the technique of saddle and pattern building to become a master craftsman.

Their popularity increased, and at the height of their business, they had 135 members of staff working for them. Syd Hill and Sons first began working together with Collin Dangaard in 1982, when they were given the opportunity to create the saddles for the production of “The Man from Snowy River.” This led to the company receiving recognition on a global scale. Saddles were produced for the use of the Guards of Buckingham Palace as well as the mounted police services of a number of towns around the world, including Denver, Canada, New York City, and Noumea. The name Syd Hill quickly became a desired brand, attracting the interest of famous people, politicians, and even monarchy.

The ownership of a Syd Hill saddle was seen as such an honour that on one of his visits to the White House, the Honorable Malcolm Fraser gave a Drafter Poley to former President Ronald Reagan as a token of his gratitude for his service.

In addition, one of Paul’s most memorable moments was when he was given the opportunity to meet Prince Charles of Wales during the latter’s visit to Australia in 1981. A photograph of their encounter may be seen to this day at the Brisbane City Town Hall.

Patrick Swayze, William Shatner, Bo Derek, Shania Twain, Johnny Cash, and Charlie Watts are among the other Famous clients of this establishment.

Following their retirement in 1993, Jim and Len Hill continued to serve as directors of Syd Hill and Sons alongside Paul and his wife, Leanne. As time went on, the equestrian business was confronted with adversity in the form of hardship, drought, and disease. Throughout all of this, we have worked hard to adapt our products to the requirements of the current economic climate as well as the needs of our devoted customers. As a result of these efforts, we have developed new and innovative saddles that redefine saddlery while still adhering to the standards and traditions that were established 150 years ago.

This is simply a condensed version of the history of the people and the company that made such significant contributions to the modernisation of riding and saddlery.

Jim Hill is now honoured in perpetuity in the hearts of everyone working in the equestrian industry across Australia and the world thanks to his induction into the Stockman’s Hall of Fame.

Paul Hill is still responsible for the production and design of saddles at the Queensland-based company Syd Hill & Sons.