Quillin Leather & Tack — America's largest custom leather shop, handcrafting 17,000+ pieces annually in Paris, Kentucky since 1982. Shop. Visit. Watch us work.

The First Halter

How a foal born in Bourbon County became the 2026 Kentucky Derby winner — and what he wore on his very first day.

Most people know Kentucky for bourbon and the Derby. Fewer realize how tightly those two things are woven together, and fewer still know how central this one quiet county — Bourbon County, seat of Paris, Kentucky — has been to both.

The first Saturday in May means one thing in the Bluegrass: horse racing at its absolute finest. From the morning workouts at Churchill Downs to the thundering stretch run that sends 150,000 people to their feet, Kentucky Derby week is a celebration of everything this state does best — horsemanship, tradition, and the kind of craftsmanship that doesn't cut corners.

This Mothers Day think of a gift made by hand, by real craftsmen, right here in Bourbon County.

That's the kind of gift that means something. Quillin Leather & Tack has been handcrafting memories for almost 50 years. let us create a Heirloom for your Mom!