Where Does the Buckle Come From?

Jen Sotolongo digs up the history of the belt buckle as a finisher award for ultra races for UltraSignup News:

The history of the belt buckle as a reward for completing a 100-miler stems from the horse world.

I appreciate the history and lore, and even the designs of many of the buckle, but have yet to seen a design where I felt like I HAD to run that race just for the buckle. I’m just not cowboy enough, I guess.