One of America's "living legends" of horseshoeing is in an uncharacteristic position: horizontal! Marshall "Buster" Conklin of Horseheads, New York is a legend of the horseshoeing world, and one of the most vital, energetic senior farriers in the world.
Word has reached the Hoofcare & Lameness office from Michael Wildenstein, farrier instructor at Cornell vet school, and from Steve Kraus, farrier at the Cornell research farm, that Buster has been in the hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania for the past week or so, and that his liver is failing. Buster was set to have a routine gall bladder removal but his liver reacted.
I am not sure how old Buster is--I think he is 80. He was--make that is--a legendary farrier in New York state and is retired from the job of farrier instructor at Cornell, which is where I met him in the early 1980s. He is a strong, kind, skilled, and generous man who is a friend to all and a great horseman.
I honestly cannot imagine Buster in a hospital bed. He gave a demonstration just a few weeks ago at a fundraiser for the estate of his friend, New York farrier Vern Hornquist, who died last fall.
Please send a card or letter to: Marshall "Buster" Conklin, 989 Ridge Road, Horseheads, NY 14845; his phone number is 607-739-2992
Get well, Buster!
5/17 UPDATE FROM STEVE KRAUS:
I received this message from Steve last night (see below), I hope that many of you will be able to take a minute and call or write to Buster.
Steve wrote:
Buster has been gravely ill for the past two weeks, with complications from an obscure liver disease which he had a problem with about 30 years ago. He was hospitalized and had some work done to relieve the situation, but it is suspected that he is terminal.
He actually is doing better this week, but the situation is irreversable. He went home and will probably be under care of hospice. No one knows how long he has, but knowing Buster he will choose his own time.
You can call him; he likes visitors and phone calls. His number is 607-739-2992 and his address is 989 Ridge Rd; Horseheads, NY, 14845.
All we can do is pray and support him. Please forward this to anyone who would want to know about this or e-mail me any one who wants to be put on this distribution list.
(anvilsteve@aol.com is Steve Kraus's email address)
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