Farriery Competitions
Does your farrier compete? Ever wondered what is involved in a farriery competition?Shoeing competitions date back as early as the mid 19th Century as educational classes with prizes to encourage farriers to take part. Following the Crimean War the Army had lost many horses to lameness, partly as a result of inappropriate farriery, and the need for standards to be raised was highlighted.
Competitive classes are either shoemaking or shoeing classes. In a shoemaking class the competitor is usually required to make two or more shoes to the Judge’s specification from bar stock. Marks are allocated depending on the accuracy of the shoe(s) produced when compared with the specimen(s) made by the Judge. The shoes are assessed on a number of elements including overall size and shape, strength and size of the ‘clip’ if present and the position and size of the nail holes.
A shoeing competition involves the forging of a specimen shoe(s) as in the shoemaking class but the competitor is also required to make, fit and nail on one or more shoes to a horse’s foot. The shoeing element is judged on the initial trim, the forging of the shoe and its fit and suitability for the foot, the nailing-on of the shoe and the finish.
Both shoemaking and shoeing classes are run within strict time limits and often represent a particular style of shoeing or shoemaking for a specific purpose. For example, a ‘hunter’ class will comprise of a hunter shoe, designed to last and ensure good grip but will be fitted to the horses foot with little or no exposed steel so that it is very hard for the horse to pull the shoe off. A ‘driving horse class’ class will involve the forging of a plain stamped shoe (a shoe with no fullering or ‘groove’ in it) designed for maximum wear. These shoes may also feature ‘heels’ to promote grip and/or to assist with the horse’s ‘action’. A therapeutic or remedial class may involve two or more types of shoe for specific problems for example for a horse with sidebone or navicular or for one that strikes into itself.
Preparation for competitions involves hours of practise and many farriers choose to work with a number of different farriers to learn from each other’s strengths. The constant scrutiny of their work and practise for improvement helps to ensure that the standards are constantly being raised. The educational value of such competitions is acknowledged by the working party for Continuing Professional Development and points are awarded to each farrier participating in these competitions.
Farriery competitions take place across the World with many occurring in the UK at the County Shows. Qualified and apprentice farriers are encouraged to participate with many competitions featuring classes for pairs and teams.
The Royal Show Championship and the National Championship are both run by the National Association for Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers and are held at the Royal Show. The ‘Internationals’ held on August bank holiday weekend last year involved teams from 12 different countries - Wales managed to clinch the title from England by just 2.4 marks!
The most prestigious event is the World Champion Blacksmiths’ Competition, held each year at the Calgary Stampede in Canada. Considered to be the ‘Olympics’ of farriery competitions, 76 competitors representing 13 different countries took part. This year was the competitions 30th Anniversary involving six tonnes of coke, 1,300 linear feet of steel bar stock and $35,000 in prize money. Four gruelling days of competition saw UK farrier Steven Beane take home the coveted title of World Champion Blacksmith with fellow Englishman Darren Bazin clinch Reserve. Going into the top ten on the final day were no less than six UK based farriers.
So, as horse owner’s why should we be interested in farriery competitions? In an age when machine-made shoes are readily available it may be considered that the art and skill involved in crafting horseshoes from steel bar stock is no longer necessary. However, what happens when the horse has a particularly unusual shaped foot or an ailment which requires individual care? The practise of the traditional forging skills not only helps to ensure that standards in farriery are constantly being improved but also helps to provide a farrier with ability to meet the very individual needs and requirements of each horse he/she has the privilege of shoeing.Next time you are at a show and you hear the ring of steel on anvils, do go and watch and please don’t be afraid to ask questions!
