Compiled by Nancy Brannon, Ph.D.; photos by Bill Brymer
The American Farrier’s Association (AFA) celebrated its 50th anniversary November 8-12, 2021at its convention in Arlington, Texas. The annual AFA annual convention brings together farriers, veterinarians, horse shoe and tool suppliers, horse owners, and students for four days of outstanding lectures and educational opportunities, the National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition, certification workshops and testing, hands-on learning, and a robust Market Place.
The educational programs featured lectures and demonstrations from Tom Petersen, CJF; Patrick Reilly; Grant Moon, CJF, AWCF; Dennis Manning, CJF; Bob Pethick, CJF; Blane Chapman, CJF; Bodie Trnka, CJF; Dr. Brent Barrett, DVM; Thomas N Trosin, CJF; Lee Olson, CJF; Myron McLane, CJF; Shayne Carter, CJF, MS; Jim Poor, CJF; and Ray Legel.
A special ceremony recognized newly certified farriers who had obtained AFA Certification or Endorsement between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.
Highlights from some of the speakers:
On Thursday November 9, Lee Olsen, CJF of Olsen Equine, spoke on the topic “Not Your Ordinary Performance Horse Shoeing.” He told the stories of three horses that were “all struggling, the veterinarians couldn’t find what was wrong with them, and owners had given up on them.” And they brought them to Olsen Equine “as kind of a last chance,” he said. “And we completely rerouted these horses’ lives.” We used “just basic fundamentals of shoeing taken to another level – adding whatever is needed to help the horse. We need to have a common goal of helping the horse,” he told the audience. Lee believes that it takes a combination of traditional and nontraditional style of farriery: fitting and supporting the hoof while giving the horse what it needs to perform. Find more information at the Olsen Equine website https://olsenequine.com/resources/hoof-care-articles/ and on their facebook page.
Welsh farrier Grant Moon, CJF, FWCF spoke on “Every Day Shoeing for Support and Mechanics.” Moon says, “The horse has only one conformation, no matter what the sport. Trim for the conformation. Shoe for the sport.” Moon says being a “thinking farrier” uses a thought process based on the basics of farriery — always evaluating what one sees and does when working with a horse. This thought process yields a system that is repeatable and applied to every horse. For the performance horses he works with, Moon calls this goal “shoeing in the normal zone.” It is important to have a repeatable process of evaluation before you work with a horse. Moon begins with a static evaluation, making observations regarding the horse’s conformation or changes in the hoof capsule. Then he wants to gather overall information from the client, especially if he has never previously shod the horse.
Other articles by Grant Moon can be found at American Farriers Journal, such as “Foot Integrity Is Vital In Your Trim.” https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/4820-farrier-tips-foot-integrity-is-vital-in-your-trim
Amy Armentrout, DVM, MS, DACVS spoke on “Surgical & Soundness Considerations for the Foot.”
She says, “As veterinarians, we are often trying to achieve high levels of performance on a client-dictated schedule. Without appropriate farrier care and an excellent farrier-veterinarian relationship, soundness goals cannot be reliably achieved. Additionally, surgical outcomes are often reliant upon excellent post-operative care, where the farrier is usually the key player in determining success. The way the horse interacts with the ground affects the health of the entire musculoskeletal system, and the health of the musculoskeletal system affects the health of the horse. Farrier care is a key component of health, not just soundness,” she says.
Dusty Franklin, CJF, ASF, AWCF spoke on “Shoeing for Functionality Using Anatomy.” He says, “Learning to shoe horses based on the functionality of anatomy instead of theory is paramount to understanding what we should be doing for the horse. Once we learn anatomy and the way a horse uses its body, we are enabled to do what is best for the horse so that it may be able to do its job and have longevity.”
Myron McLane, CJF spoke on “Using and Understanding Frog Support.” McLane’s career has spanned nearly six decades and he says, “I never turn down a new client with a lameness issue because I know I can help them.” In 1984, inspired by Bernie Chapman and Mustad’s Glue Strider shoe, McLane developed a new product to help crippled horses. It was something to give frog support without the use of a heart bar shoe, something that wasn’t rigid or made of metal. It became known as the Myron McLane Full Support Pad. The pad supports the frog and prevents the coffin bone from rotating or sinking within. That movement of the coffin bone is and has been a major cause of lameness in horses. Read more about McLane at: https://www.mustad.com/en_us/for-farriers/stories/myron-mclane-cjf
Dr. Brent Barrett, DVM, CJF of Ocala, Florida spoke on “Support Materials: Options to Help Horses & Avoid Complications.” Bodie Trnka, CJF spoke on “Putting the Basics into Everyday Shoemaking.” Blane Chapman, CJF spoke on “Hoof Angles, Hoof Maps, and Horseshoes.”
Dennis C. Manning, CJF looked back on how the AFA provided opportunities for him to learn and develop his skills, develop comradeship with fellow horseshoers and, most important, provided opportunities to serve. He writes about the history of AFA Certification at: https://americanfarriers.org/page/certification_history
The 2021 National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition is a stalwart of the convention. The competition took place from Tuesday November 9 to Thursday November 11 and was limited to 100 competitors. AFA is very proud of all the competitors at this year’s National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition. Following are the first and second place results (awards through 6th place were given in each division):
The 2021 Overall and National High Point Winner: Ben Mangan
2021 Reserve National High Point Winner: Bodie Trnka
Results of the Live Shoeing Finals, sponsored by Mustad USA:
1st: Bodie Trnka
2nd: Chris Madrid
Results of the Two Man Draft Class, sponsored by Anvil Brand:
1st: Juan Berumen / Chris Madrid
2nd: Ben Mangan / Tim Hoover
Results of the Open Journeyman Class, sponsored by Thoro’Bred / Kahn Forge:
1st: Ben Mangan
2nd: Juan Berumen
Results of the Open Roadster Class, sponsored by Stockhoff’s Horseshoes & Supplies:
1st: Ben Mangan
2nd: Chris Madrid
Results of the Open Specialty Forging Class, sponsored by Mustad USA:
1st: Bodie Trnka
2nd: Ben Mangan
Results of the Intermediate Classes, sponsored by FPD, Inc.:
Intermediate Overall High Point Award Winner: Nathan Gingerich
Intermediate Specialty Forging Class:
1st: Mason Mileski
2nd: Nathan Gingerich
Intermediate Barshoe Class:
1st: David Reed
2nd: Colton Ellis
Intermediate Journeyman Class:
1st: David Reed
2nd: Nathan Gingerich
Find more information at: https://americanfarriers.org/page/2021-convention-home and on facebook at American Farrier’s Association. In the next issue of No Hoof, No Horse, find a wrap-up article and video about the convention.
Additional Sources:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/americanfarriers.org/resource/collection/8A612BA1-F497-4169-AEE5-8F0C1C2C7709/NFNH-Oct-Nov21-public.pdf
The American Farrier’s Association (AFA) celebrated its 50th anniversary November 8-12, 2021at its convention in Arlington, Texas. The annual AFA annual convention brings together farriers, veterinarians, horse shoe and tool suppliers, horse owners, and students for four days of outstanding lectures and educational opportunities, the National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition, certification workshops and testing, hands-on learning, and a robust Market Place.
The educational programs featured lectures and demonstrations from Tom Petersen, CJF; Patrick Reilly; Grant Moon, CJF, AWCF; Dennis Manning, CJF; Bob Pethick, CJF; Blane Chapman, CJF; Bodie Trnka, CJF; Dr. Brent Barrett, DVM; Thomas N Trosin, CJF; Lee Olson, CJF; Myron McLane, CJF; Shayne Carter, CJF, MS; Jim Poor, CJF; and Ray Legel.
A special ceremony recognized newly certified farriers who had obtained AFA Certification or Endorsement between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.
Highlights from some of the speakers:
On Thursday November 9, Lee Olsen, CJF of Olsen Equine, spoke on the topic “Not Your Ordinary Performance Horse Shoeing.” He told the stories of three horses that were “all struggling, the veterinarians couldn’t find what was wrong with them, and owners had given up on them.” And they brought them to Olsen Equine “as kind of a last chance,” he said. “And we completely rerouted these horses’ lives.” We used “just basic fundamentals of shoeing taken to another level – adding whatever is needed to help the horse. We need to have a common goal of helping the horse,” he told the audience. Lee believes that it takes a combination of traditional and nontraditional style of farriery: fitting and supporting the hoof while giving the horse what it needs to perform. Find more information at the Olsen Equine website https://olsenequine.com/resources/hoof-care-articles/ and on their facebook page.
Welsh farrier Grant Moon, CJF, FWCF spoke on “Every Day Shoeing for Support and Mechanics.” Moon says, “The horse has only one conformation, no matter what the sport. Trim for the conformation. Shoe for the sport.” Moon says being a “thinking farrier” uses a thought process based on the basics of farriery — always evaluating what one sees and does when working with a horse. This thought process yields a system that is repeatable and applied to every horse. For the performance horses he works with, Moon calls this goal “shoeing in the normal zone.” It is important to have a repeatable process of evaluation before you work with a horse. Moon begins with a static evaluation, making observations regarding the horse’s conformation or changes in the hoof capsule. Then he wants to gather overall information from the client, especially if he has never previously shod the horse.
Other articles by Grant Moon can be found at American Farriers Journal, such as “Foot Integrity Is Vital In Your Trim.” https://www.americanfarriers.com/articles/4820-farrier-tips-foot-integrity-is-vital-in-your-trim
Amy Armentrout, DVM, MS, DACVS spoke on “Surgical & Soundness Considerations for the Foot.”
She says, “As veterinarians, we are often trying to achieve high levels of performance on a client-dictated schedule. Without appropriate farrier care and an excellent farrier-veterinarian relationship, soundness goals cannot be reliably achieved. Additionally, surgical outcomes are often reliant upon excellent post-operative care, where the farrier is usually the key player in determining success. The way the horse interacts with the ground affects the health of the entire musculoskeletal system, and the health of the musculoskeletal system affects the health of the horse. Farrier care is a key component of health, not just soundness,” she says.
Dusty Franklin, CJF, ASF, AWCF spoke on “Shoeing for Functionality Using Anatomy.” He says, “Learning to shoe horses based on the functionality of anatomy instead of theory is paramount to understanding what we should be doing for the horse. Once we learn anatomy and the way a horse uses its body, we are enabled to do what is best for the horse so that it may be able to do its job and have longevity.”
Myron McLane, CJF spoke on “Using and Understanding Frog Support.” McLane’s career has spanned nearly six decades and he says, “I never turn down a new client with a lameness issue because I know I can help them.” In 1984, inspired by Bernie Chapman and Mustad’s Glue Strider shoe, McLane developed a new product to help crippled horses. It was something to give frog support without the use of a heart bar shoe, something that wasn’t rigid or made of metal. It became known as the Myron McLane Full Support Pad. The pad supports the frog and prevents the coffin bone from rotating or sinking within. That movement of the coffin bone is and has been a major cause of lameness in horses. Read more about McLane at: https://www.mustad.com/en_us/for-farriers/stories/myron-mclane-cjf
Dr. Brent Barrett, DVM, CJF of Ocala, Florida spoke on “Support Materials: Options to Help Horses & Avoid Complications.” Bodie Trnka, CJF spoke on “Putting the Basics into Everyday Shoemaking.” Blane Chapman, CJF spoke on “Hoof Angles, Hoof Maps, and Horseshoes.”
Dennis C. Manning, CJF looked back on how the AFA provided opportunities for him to learn and develop his skills, develop comradeship with fellow horseshoers and, most important, provided opportunities to serve. He writes about the history of AFA Certification at: https://americanfarriers.org/page/certification_history
The 2021 National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition is a stalwart of the convention. The competition took place from Tuesday November 9 to Thursday November 11 and was limited to 100 competitors. AFA is very proud of all the competitors at this year’s National Forging & Horseshoeing Competition. Following are the first and second place results (awards through 6th place were given in each division):
The 2021 Overall and National High Point Winner: Ben Mangan
2021 Reserve National High Point Winner: Bodie Trnka
Results of the Live Shoeing Finals, sponsored by Mustad USA:
1st: Bodie Trnka
2nd: Chris Madrid
Results of the Two Man Draft Class, sponsored by Anvil Brand:
1st: Juan Berumen / Chris Madrid
2nd: Ben Mangan / Tim Hoover
Results of the Open Journeyman Class, sponsored by Thoro’Bred / Kahn Forge:
1st: Ben Mangan
2nd: Juan Berumen
Results of the Open Roadster Class, sponsored by Stockhoff’s Horseshoes & Supplies:
1st: Ben Mangan
2nd: Chris Madrid
Results of the Open Specialty Forging Class, sponsored by Mustad USA:
1st: Bodie Trnka
2nd: Ben Mangan
Results of the Intermediate Classes, sponsored by FPD, Inc.:
Intermediate Overall High Point Award Winner: Nathan Gingerich
Intermediate Specialty Forging Class:
1st: Mason Mileski
2nd: Nathan Gingerich
Intermediate Barshoe Class:
1st: David Reed
2nd: Colton Ellis
Intermediate Journeyman Class:
1st: David Reed
2nd: Nathan Gingerich
Find more information at: https://americanfarriers.org/page/2021-convention-home and on facebook at American Farrier’s Association. In the next issue of No Hoof, No Horse, find a wrap-up article and video about the convention.
Additional Sources:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/americanfarriers.org/resource/collection/8A612BA1-F497-4169-AEE5-8F0C1C2C7709/NFNH-Oct-Nov21-public.pdf
