Dan Burke, president of Farrier Product Distribution (FPD) joined me for a conference call this evening. Also on the line: former American Farrier's Association Executive Director Bryan Quinsey and FPD's Linda Hill. The subject? FPD's newsletter announcement stating that Bryan joined the Kentucky distribution firm on June 18th as the company's new general manager of operations."Bryan will be working on the home front," Linda confirmed. She said that Bill Kleist remains with the company as sales manager. "It was getting to be too much for me to handle alone, with Dan on the road so much."
"It's nice to be back with old friends," Bryan said warmly, with his characteristic enthusiasm intact. "It's a great homecoming.
"I already know many of FPD's vendors," he continued. "I'll be working on the company's web sites and keeping things moving forward so Dan can be on the road more."
Bryan left the AFA in the spring of 2006 to take the executive position with the Friesian Horse Association of North America at the Kentucky Horse Park. He said that while he was in The Netherlands on Friesian business, he had a chance to visit the Kerckhaert factory, on Dan Burke's recommendation.
Dan remarked that having Bryan in the office at home would allow him to travel even more to promote the company's products. "We needed help to handle our growth and to continue expanding operations," he said.
Bryan, who lives in Lexington, Kentucky, said he would be moving to Shelbyville, a town that is between Lexington and Louisville, where FPD's warehouse and office is located.
FPD is a major importer of Kerckhaert horseshoes and Bellotta rasps. The company is also premiering the new Vector horseshoe nail and supplies many tools used by farriers. FPD is technically a distributor; the Shelbyville, Kentucky warehouse ships out supplies to farrier stores all over the U.S. instead of selling directly to farriers.
In the same phone conversation, I had a chance to visit with Joy Ream of Palm Beach Farrier Supply, who was stopping at FPD while driving back to Florida from a visit to her family in Ohio. Palm Beach Farrier Supply is one of many new advertisers in Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Many old-timers in the farrier world know Joy by her former last name of Luikart. She bought Palm Beach Farrier Supply two years ago.
Dan mentioned that New York track shoer Ray Amato had confirmed that Belmont Stakes winning filly Rags to Riches had been shod with Kerckhaert raceplates on her hind feet.
FPD is a longtime advertiser with Hoofcare and Lamensss Journal. Watch for their Vector nail ad in our next issue.
