Quillin Leather - A Bourbon County Tradition
Ralph Quillin — Bio
Ralph Quillin is a craftsman, businessman, and lifelong Kentuckian with roots planted firmly in the heart of horse country. As co-owner of Quillin Leather & Tack alongside his wife Donna, Ralph has spent decades building one of the most respected names in the thoroughbred industry — not through shortcuts, but through an unwavering commitment to handcrafted quality, personalized service, and old-world workmanship.
Based in Paris, Kentucky, Ralph oversees a shop where skilled craftsmen work every day and make things with their hands — the same way it's been done since 1982. He's as comfortable on the shop floor as he is behind a camera, crafting the next marketing message, or shipping a custom halter to a farm in Ireland or Japan. For Ralph, Quillin Leather & Tack has never been just a business. It's a standard worth keeping.
Quillin Leather & Tack — Brief History
Ralph Quillin produced his first halter in a cold Bourbon County stripping room in 1975, on a hundred-year-old harness stitcher. The first shop opened in 1982 on Main Street in Paris, Kentucky — a small town in Bourbon County that has always lived close to horses. What began as a local leather operation has grown, over four decades, into the nation's largest custom leather goods shop serving the thoroughbred industry.
Today, Quillin's team of approximately 12 skilled craftsmen produces over 12,000+ handcrafted halters each year, alongside a full catalog of durable leather goods. The shop still runs century-old Campbell Harness stitchers — equipment that mass producers retired long ago. The stitch these 250-pound machines produce simply can't be replicated any other way. A small-batch production model keeps quality consistent and fulfillment times to around two weeks.
Owned and operated by Ralph and Donna Quillin, the business ships to farms, trainers, and equestrians across the United States and around the world. Plus, their Bluegrass Dog Collars, Classic Key Tags, Kentucky Belts and Shop Tours are popular year round. Every piece that leaves the shop at 716 Main Street carries the same promise it always has: made by hand, made to last, made in Paris, Kentucky.
