Our Story
The Belief
TM Bits & Spurs was built on a single conviction — the right bit changes everything. When your horse responds, you communicate. When you communicate, you win. That belief is not a marketing line. It is the reason this shop exists and the standard every piece is held to.
Not mass produced. Not rushed. Handcrafted to a standard that does not move.
The Man Behind the Build
Tristan Mahoney grew up riding, roping, and competing. He has spent his life in the arena — as a calf roper who qualified for the Ram National Circuit Finals in 2016, as an All Around Champion in the Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo Association, and as a horseman who has trained multiple high-level calf horses, one of which went on to compete at the National Finals Rodeo — the sport's biggest stage.
In 2013, Tristan picked up the craft of bit making. The reasons were simple and deeply personal. It challenged him as a craftsman. It connected directly to everything he knew as a competitor and a horseman. And it gave him the ability to build exactly what he knew performance demanded — tools he understood from the ground up because he had spent his entire life on the other end of the reins.
That expertise is what every TM piece is built on. When Tristan designs a bit, he is not guessing at what a competitor needs. He knows — because he has been that competitor, trained those horses, and felt the difference the right bit makes when it matters most.
"Building custom bits allows me to share what I've learned with the people who are chasing the same things I've chased my whole life. That means something to me."
The Family
Tristan is married to Kayse Mahoney, assistant rodeo coach at Central Arizona College and a decorated competitor in her own right — a multiple-time breakaway roping champion and Ram National Circuit Finals qualifier. Together they are raising two future competitors — Slade, 5, and Sutton, 2 — in Florence, Arizona, where the shop, the horses, and the family are all under one roof.
The Craft
Every TM bit begins as raw steel and ends as a precision instrument built for one purpose — performance. Each piece is hand-forged, hand-fitted, and inspected at every stage of the build. There are no production lines here. No shortcuts. No compromises made in the name of volume or speed.
Our shop is intentionally small. That is not a limitation — it is the point. It means every bit and spur that leaves Florence, Arizona has been touched by hands that care deeply about the outcome. That level of attention cannot be scaled. It can only be maintained.
Built for Every Discipline
TM bits and spurs are in the hands of competitive ropers, barrel racers, breakaway competitors, horse trainers, and serious riders across the country. From a snaffle for a young horse finding its way to a fully engraved custom piece commemorating a championship — if you can describe what you need, TM can build it.
Every discipline. Every level. One standard.
The Warranty
Every piece leaves this shop with a lifetime warranty. Not because problems are expected — but because we build them right the first time and stand behind that claim without reservation. If something is ever not right, we make it right. No process, no questions, no expiration date on that promise.
That is what it means to build something properly.
Begin Your Build
Custom pieces are built to order and designed around you and your horse. To get on the build list or discuss a specific design, text or call Tristan directly at 480-459-1411.
For performance-ready pieces available now, explore the TM Tack Room Series — built to the same standard and shipping within three days.
