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Building Boards, Building Memories
Haggard Longboards of Bakersfield


By Matt Muñoz, Bakotopia editor
Photos by Holly Carlyle Photography

The five amigos of Haggard Longboards are prepared to ride the pine to success.

Buddies for most of their young lives, some have been acquainted since birth…

“Our moms were at the hospital at the same time when we were born,” said Patrick McMahon, pointing to fellow board maker and friend, Richard Scheidle. “We’ve just always been around each other.”

And not just hanging around, either.

Inspired during life in the dorms at Cal Poly SLO in ’06, Richard, now 20, thought it might be cool to try his hand building his own longboard after checking out a fellow student’s own wooden creation.


Richard Scheidle

“I went to Home Depot and got the wood, then skate shops for the wheels and trucks,” remembered Richard of his first stab at board building just for fun. “I did it all myself, freehand for two weeks — cutting, sanding. It worked, but the board ended up breaking.”

Returning home to Bakersfield for a visit, Richard showed his rolling creation, pre-shatter, to his older brother, Daniel, arousing his curiosity.


Daniel Scheidle

“I saw it a month after he built it, and I thought it was awesome,” said Daniel, 22, of the dorm room project. “But I knew it could be better.”

Unlike regular skateboarding, longboards can best be described as “surfboards on wheels,” for their sheer size and appearance. Not built for tricks and jumps — unless you’re that daring — these massive cruisers are built for breezing down the street, bike path, and of course — near the beach.

Should you feel the need for speed, you can always go down a steep path or windy road for kicks.


Patrick McMahon

Although the history of longboarding can be debated, with skate scholars arguing over its origins, the only thing that matters to the guys of Haggard is that the materials are right and the feeling is tight.

“We’ve done our research,” said Daniel. “We use 100 percent select pine wood. That means no knots, just good stuff.”

Starting with a 10-foot piece of cut pine purchased at their local home improvement store, the team — which also includes: Sean Corson, 20, and Jared Bradford, 22, they cut the slab into two even vertical pieces. The two pieces are then outlined according to design choice — Classic Pin-Tail, which measures at 4' x 11”, and Mini Classic Pin-Tail at 2 ' x 11”.



Similar to a traditional surfboard design, the “pin-tail” refers to the pointy tip at the rear. And like the upstart businessmen they are, no materials go unused.

“We make sure that the wood we bring to the shop is good, and that nothing goes to waste,” assured Daniel.



For a quintet all in their early 20s, not only are they full of creative energy, but a humble bunch as well. Inspired by popular San Diego longboard company Sector 9, known for some of the most innovative designs, as well as fashion and popular rider roster, Daniel Scheidle points to his older brother, Jeremy as one of his strongest influences.

“Jeremy has taught me a lot about starting your own business,” he said. “He has an insurance office and always gives us advice.”

In fact, Jeremy inspires more than just his brother.

“He’s (Jeremy) encouraged all of us,” said McMahon.

To which Bradford adds with a smile:

“And he’s my insurance agent.”


Jared Bradford

If you were wondering about where the name “Haggard” came from, you might be disappointed that none of the friends have any relation to Bakersfield country legend, Merle Haggard — in fact, it doesn’t refer to “The Hag” at all. Well, almost…

“I wanted to give our boards a name that was all about Bakersfield,” explained Daniel. “KORN was OK, and I love Buck, but there was something about the word, ‘haggard.’”


Sean Corson

But before any copyright infringement flags wave in your mind, the builders want to remind you — “haggard” is also an adjective, referring to something worn or wild in appearance. It just happens to be the last name of our hometown hero.

“We’ve always said ‘haggard,’ even before we started building,” said McMahon. “If something is crazy or off, we’d say, ‘Dude, that’s haggard!’”

Digging for a possible deeper, or rather “haggard” meaning behind the name, you’ll find that Jackass alum CKY, featuring skate nut Bam Margera and friends, produced an independent comedy in 2003 of the same name.



The movie, however, although not an official skate film, was an underground hit among the skate communities, including Bakersfield’s.

“CKY was definitely a big influence,” smiled Corson. “We’ve seen the movie, too.”

Beyond the name and all mystery attached to it, the creative process proves to be the most interesting, and simple — most of which happens in the back patio at the Scheidle household in Bakersfield, and all by hand.



With a small cutting table and a shelf for stacking tools, this is DIY (do it yourself), at its rawest — truly haggard.

“After we trace the design, and cut out the board with the Skil saw, next is the filing of the edges,” described Daniel. “Then we get the power sander and keep going until it’s complete.”

And it doesn’t end there.

“We get our wood-burning pen, and write our logo on the wood with a trace from a Microsoft Word print out,” he said. “Then comes the final processes — stain and sealer.”

Choosing to retain the image behind the name and keep things authentic, Haggard prefer that their boards are close to a natural-looking state. No colors, just a little stain and gloss, and almost resembling a souvenir from a Yosemite Park gift shop — again, keeping it haggard.



“We put two coats of stain,” said McMahon. “Then two coats of sealant to keep the water off and make it shiny. We’ll add color if someone wants it, though.”

During the backyard tour of the Scheidle residence, Corson points to the pool as an essential part of board making. After all, it is summertime in Bako.

“We usually take turns working on a board, in between swim breaks,” he said. “We can complete a board in a few hours this way.”

Committed to their creation as much as their own lives, each is currently enrolled in college: Daniel and Bradford are at BC, Corson at CSUB, while Richard and McMahon are back at Cal Poly SLO. Bradford, a history major, shares a bit of the philosophy behind their strong friendships.

“It’s great to work together on these boards,” said Bradford. “A lot of ideas flow and amalgamate into another idea — we’re all willing to share and voice ideas.”

At about $60 a board, you can have your very own custom made Haggard Longboard — a pretty good price for US handmade quality and creativity.

Add wheels, bearings, and trucks to the mix, and you should be road ready for under $150. Still a bargain, compared to big name product prices.



“We’ve completed about 60 boards ourselves,” added Bradford. “They've been sold by word of mouth between local and online friends. It’s all very simple. We’re a locally-based small company, and our boards are not mass produced in China. I think that helps us as a selling point.”

For now, the Haggard crew have their sights set on continuing to enjoy themselves the same way they always have, having fun. That’s not to say they wouldn’t like to see their boards sold in local shops they’ve grown up admiring.

“It would be great to see Haggard in places like Wavelengths,” said Daniel. “We’d love to work with local shops.

With years to build on, time will tell what the guys of Haggard Longboards have up their sleeves for the future.

Then there’s the obvious…

“We need girls to pose with our boards,” smiled Corson. “We’re looking for Haggies.”

For more info on how to purchase your own Haggard Longboard, e-mail: haggardlongboards@yahoo.com
or call 661-742-9151.

Story printed in Bakotopia magazine issue 36, 9-4-08