Oregon Woman Famous For Her Horsehair Ropes

Oregon Woman Famous For Her Horsehair Ropes AG WORLD Ag World 21-4-24 Oregon craftswoman Frankie Dougal has become famous for the horsehair ropes she makes by hand. Some people say she has single-handedly kept the ancient art from disappearing completely. "I learned it from my mother when I was nine years old," says Dougal who's in her 70's. "I sell ropes all over the world and have made more than 100 this year alone. Today people want them mostly for show." Dougal's ropes are made from horse manes purchased from slaughter houses. It takes about eight manes to make one average length rope. The hair is first soaked and washed in clear water. Next, dirt is removed in a machine Dougal and her husband, Chuck, devised a few years ago. It consists of the wringer off an old Maytag wash machine, which feeds hair into a "comb" made from license plates and nails. Once it's cleaned, the hair resembles skeins of yarn which can be spun into ropes of any desired thickness and style. Most ropes are 22 ft. in length and sell for $65 to $70. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Frankie Dougal, Jordan Valley, Ore. 97910 (ph 208 583-2303).

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