president’s address
Myerscough College’s farriery degree students with their tutors, Craig D'Arcy is third from left
President’s Address
NAFBAE President, Craig D'Arcy, took time out from this year’s International Team
Horseshoeing Competition to speak to Forge
Congratulations to England for winning the 30th competitors, we have decided to hold a meeting a consistent 60 per cent examination success
NAFBAE International Team Championship and before Christmas to develop these ideas. All the throughout the course.
to Billy Crothers for winning the 23rd individual team managers will be invited and for those that
All of the dissertations produced by the
competition. Despite being in its 30th year, the are unable to come, it has been agreed that a
students during this course have been
competitions are evolving (a full report appears ‘buddy’ system will ensure that everyone knows
submitted for publication. In the July/August
on page 22). their own responsibilities to pass on information
issue of the American Farrier’s Journal, an
This year, for the first time, NAFBAE opened
to particular teams. If you have any ideas you
article by myself and Mark Caldwell, appears
up the competition to apprentices. England,
would like to share, please telephone the office
on pages 63 to 68. Its title is ‘Mapping the
Wales, Scotland and Germany brought
or email nafbaehq@nafbae.org.uk
solar surface of the foot using fixed anatomical
apprentice teams, and this will be part of next Another excellent suggestion was to use the
reference points. Experimental aims to
year’s event too. We recognise that bringing a expertise of the teams to offer some CPD with
establish foot-trimming protocol’.
second team represents a big investment for a twist, if you like. The idea is to hold some
the teams, but we hope that this section of one-hour clinics by members of the team to
For the first time ever, 14 candidates became
the event will grow. Another change this year,
share the way they approach various aspects AWCF in August. This is an all-time record
saw us abandon the qualifying round for the
of shoe making. After all, the competition is and the WCF, FRC and NAFBAE hopes that
individual competition. This meant that all the
unique in that it brings farriers together from it is a continuing trend. It is well recognised
team members had an equal chance at the
around the world. All have their own approach
that learning does not finish with our formal
title. Reserve team members had their own
to the job and these clinics would be a perfect
education, but is something we should all
‘winner takes all’ competition.
way to share that knowledge with UK farriers. I
aspire to, throughout our lives.
It is NAFBAE’s intention to make the
feel we need to tap into this expertise and not
And what of the recession, and how it affects
competition bigger and better, both for the
to waste it.
farriers? There has been talk of horse owners
competitors and officials. It was with this in
Since the last issue of Forge, Richard Hurcomb
extending shoeing intervals by a week or two
mind that I held a meeting during the event with
has decided to resign from the Executive
in order to save money. This may not be a
the team managers, where I specifically asked
Committee to pursue other interests. I would
problem for a usually sound happy hacker, but
them what they wanted from the competition,
like to thank him for his years on the EC and
and the direction they would like it to take. This
latterly as the Association’s President.
may be a mistake in horses that are difficult to
keep sound. Communication is certainly the
was an opportunity to look at the competition’s Hampshire farrier, Chris Linssner has joined
key to keeping a successful client base. If you
strengths and to build on them. During a the EC and we have also invited Oli Roberts,
frank discussion, a number of ideas were
have worked hard to keep a horse sound, and
NAFBAE’s Edward Martin, MBE, Cultural
forthcoming. I would particularly like to thank
the owner is considering extending the shoeing
Exchange student to join us.
Grant Moon for his ideas and positive help for
interval, explain why this may not be a good
Personally, for me, when I collect my AWCF
the future of these competitions.
idea. Work with your clients so that you are
certificate at the WCF ceremony at the
both happy with the outcome, you may be able
Some felt the competition should be known Honourable Artillery Company on September
to come up with some suggestions to help
as the NAFBAE World Horseshoeing Team 3 (p 28) it will be the culmination of three
Championship, and there was talk of dropping
them, or to come to a compromise.
years of study. I was one of the first cohort
the individual class in order to do so. There is of students to gain the foundation degree in
And, finally, don’t forget to tell your clients
no doubt that the teams take this competition farriery science. The degrees were presented
about the CPD you have undertaken, make
very seriously, and many begin the process at Myerscough College in July. To achieve the sure they understand that you are continually
of selection months beforehand. To help the AWCF through this route, you have to achieve learning and why you recommend what you do.
2 Forge | October 2009
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