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Badminton Farriers Prize 2022: Jim Blurton breaks records
And in 2022, just like all the years before, we wanted to know who won the Farriers Prize. As usual that assignment was just a jumping off point to a bigger story. There may be just one winner, but the story is bigger and better, although most people at the event never even knew it was going on.
Those are the facts, now let’s get to the story.
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| The judge’s choice: Irish Sport Horse Swallow Springs, ridden by Oliver Townend, is shod with concave 7/8 x 3/8” handmade shoes with quarter clips made by his farrier, Jim Blurton of Wales. The shoes were drilled and tapped for studs and have one road stud on the outside heel. (Note: Swallow Springs was shod two weeks before Badminton to eliminate any problem with new shoes; these photos were taken by Jim Blurton after the event.) (Photo provided by Jim Blurton) |
Blurton's record 4th win
Jim Blurton, however, has now won the Badminton Farriers Prize a record four times. Until this year, he had been tied with longtime Badminton resident farrier Bernie Tidmarsh for the most wins at Badminton.
Although Jim may have passed Bernie, the event had a stunning surprise consolation: Bernie received the David Beaufort Memorial Trophy, presented “ to the person who has contributed to the running of the Horse Trials over many years”. Bernie has been farrier at the event for more than 30 years.
And, there’s always next year for him to catch up with Jim Blurton.
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Left front foot of Swallow Springs, taken after competing at Badminton. The horse was shod two weeks before the event to eliminate any problems with new shoes; this photo was taken after the horse returned from the event. (Photo provided by Jim Blurton) |
Swallow Springs: Feet First
Jim Blurton kindly provided photos of the hind shoeing for winner Swallow Springs, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. While the horse is a new ride for Oliver Townend in 2022, it had been through two shoeings by Jim, who remarked, “The horse hasn’t reached full potential.”
Jim’s work on the new horse was a classic job guaranteed to please the judge, with handmade concave shoes (⅞ x ⅜”), with side clips in front and quarter clips behind, and Liberty copper nails.
Swallow Springs was in second place at the time his feet were judged on Sunday but dropped to third place when a rail came down in the jumping. Townend also finished fifth with another Irish horse, Ballaghmor Class, also shod by Jim Blurton.
Greig Elliott fills the stables
The eventual Badminton 2022 winner was England’s Laura Collett, who was Townend’s Olympic gold medal teammate in Tokyo, and a previous winner of the Farriers Prize in 2013. This year, Team GB eventing farrier, Greig Elliott, who is a past winner of Burghley’s “Best Shod Horse” prize, shod her horse, London 52.
Greig shod an impressive eight horses for Badminton 2022 – roughly 10% of the horses entered – and received the third prize for his work on Australian rider Sammi Birch’s Finduss PFB. “That’s a hatrick of thirds now!” Greig said, referring to past placings. “(I) finished with five in the top 25 and, of course, the winner, the amazing London 52! It was a brilliant weekend for Laura!”
Kiwi care for veteran eventers
A farrier with a unique task won second place. Team New Zealand farrier Andrew Nickalls was rewarded for his shoeing of 20th place finisher Ringwood Sky Boy, the long-running and successful international horse ridden by Tim Price. Ringwood Sky Boy, along with Classic Moet (11th), ridden by Price’s wife Jonelle, is 19 years old; they were the oldest horses competing this year, and both completed the challenging event.
Andrew won the Best Shod Horse prize at Burghley for his work on Ringwood Sky Boy way back in 2015. Andrew also won the Badminton Farriers Price in 2009 for Vortex, ridden by Tim Price.
New Zealand is competitive in international eventing on all levels; their horses have won the Farriers Prize at Badminton four times.
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| Oliver Townend trotted up Swallow Springs for the horse inspection at the 2022 Badminton Horse Trials. It was their first five-star outing together. The 14-year-old, 16.2 hand Irish Sport Horse was formerly ridden by New Zealand's Andrew Nicholson, who has opted not to compete at the highest levels anymore. Townend rode the new horse to finish third and also won the Farriers Prize. (Photo: Badminton Horse Trials by Kit Houghton) |
Judge’s interview
One of the most interesting parts about Badminton’s Farrier Prize is the ability to collect the observations of the judge on the quality and trends seen on all the event’s entries, not just the winner. The 2022 judge was Phillip Martin, FWCF, Grad Dip ELR, himself a farrier deeply involved in eventing. Two of his customers’ horses were competing at the event, which meant they were excluded from his judging list. He received the second prize at Badminton’s Farriers Prize in the past.
“It was a huge honor to be asked to judge,” Phillip said. “I am grateful to Badminton Horse Trials for inviting me.”
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| Phillip Martin FWCF, Grad Dip ELR, was the judge of the Farriers Prize awarded at the 2022 Badminton Horse Trials. As a farrier who shoes event horses himself, Phillip had a deep interest in seeing not only how his British colleagues were shoeing 5* horses, but also farriers from other countries. Phillip was one of the first farriers in the UK to complete the Royal Veterinary College's equine locomotion research degree; he continued his research to gain his Fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Farriers. This photo was taken with his son Fred toasting him at the RVC graduation. (Phillip Martin photo) |
Based in Wiltshire, not far from Badminton, Phillip is a qualified judge on the list of the Worshipful Company of Farriers; this was his first time judging Badminton. He thinks the prize is a great aspect of the role of farriers in this unique and demanding sport. “You’re part of a team, and this (recognition) raises the profile of the farrier,” he said late on Sunday, after returning home from judging.
“If you are conscientious about your work, you’re quite well invested in the sport,” Phillip said, “It is a huge achievement for a horse to get to Badminton, and (the prize) is the icing on the cake.” Phillip made special mention of farriers who were in attendance for support during the event, and that he noticed that one farrier had driven a long distance on Saturday night just to be on hand to help Sunday morning, if he was needed.
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| Judge Phillip Martin confirmed that one horse made it through cross-country wearing a pad from 3D Hoofcare, which would have been a first, since the pads weren't marketed the last time Badminton was held, back in 2019. This is not the horse that competed; this is a sample photo from inventor Derek Poupard. |
Philip reported that his task was to pick up, judge, and score all four feet of the horses who passed the second horse inspection on Sunday, before they competed in the final phase of showjumping. This gives the judge the perspective of seeing how the farrier’s work held up under Saturday’s demanding cross-country phase.
Judging isn’t always straightforward; many of the horses have oiled or otherwise “dressed” hooves for the benefit of the inspection, and some have their nailhead clinches filled in to give a smooth hoof wall appearance and prevent any distraction.
The horses’ managers were able to opt out of the hoof judging, but most of the 52 who qualified came forward. Phillip said that only one horse from the US delegation chose to be judged.
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| During the awards ceremony on Sunday, Miranda, Duchess of Beaufort, presented the David Beaufort Memorial Trophy to farrier Bernie Tidmarsh, recognizing his contribution to the running of the horse trials over many years. Smiling in the background: Great Britain’s Princess Anne, who rode to international fame beyond her royal status on horses he shod. His family has been shoeing horses in the vicinity of Badminton for centuries. (Special thanks to Jon Stroud for taking this photo) |
How close was the contest, from the viewpoint of the judging sheets? Phillip said that only .25 points separated first from second, and second from third.
Key comments about the general state of the horses and their hooves:
- “I saw at least six really nicely shod horse with handmade shoes.”
- “(The winner) had really nice feet.”
- “If there had been (an exemplary job using) machinemade shoes, it would have gone to that horse, but I recognize the extra time taken (with the handmades).” and
- “Some (farriers) put in really good effort to keep horses sound.”
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The names of Bernie Tidmarsh (left) and Jim Blurton (right) dominate the Badminton Farriers Prize winners list. Shown here at Stoneleigh in 2018, Jim Blurton said, “Met up with an old friend this weekend, the legendary Bernie Tidmarsh, one of my heroes.” |
Horseshoes worn at Badminton
- One top British rider succeeded with aluminum front shoes;
- One horse was shod with St Croix shoes in front, which Phillip said are lighter than British farriers would normally choose;
- One horse wore ACR aluminum shoes;
- One horse successfully made it through cross-country with a shoe nailed to hoof casting tape;
- One horse wore a nice pair of bar shoes with leather pads, however the horse had very poor feet;
- One horse competed wearing a 3D pad;
- One horse had an Equipak-type pour-in pad in one foot only;
- One horse had asymmetric “Denoix-type” shoes
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| Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, Lt Col (retired) Mark Houghton, left, and Princess Anne presented the Farriers Prize to rider Oliver Townend, right. Winning farrier Jim Blurton was not present to receive his award. Photo by Kit Houghton courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials. |
A big year for eventing, worldwide
Competition season is in full swing in the UK; a week after Badminton, Jim Blurton was back in the judge’s role, serving as “best shod” farrier judge for the Royal Windsor Horse Show. Eventing is preparing for the FEI World Championship (formerly part of the World Equestrian Games) coming up in Italy in September, just three weeks after the international Land Rover Burghley 5* Horse Trials in England, and before the USA’s Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in October.
Event horse farriers enjoy a wider choice of both time-tested traditional and more innovative methods and materials to help their horses than at any previous time in history. Britain’s long–time practice of putting the farriers and their work in the spotlight at the international level is an example of what can be done to increase inclusion of farriers in the management plans for the horses, and guarantee increased commitment to high quality work and skills.
"Horse and rider have priority over winning best shod," Jim Blurton reminded me as this article wrapped up. "I guess I got lucky."
No one's ever been luckier, as the records show. Jim Blurton has also served as the judge for the Farriers Prize many times.
Thank you to Jim Blurton, Phillip Martin, photographers Jon Stroud and Kit Houghton, and the staff of the Badminton Horse Trials for assistance with this article. And thank you for reading.
Badminton Farriers Prize 2016: Charlie Sands' four-star horseshoeing wins best-shod award for his girlfriend's horse (Part 1)
Badminton Farriers Prize 2011: Jim Hayter's Work Wins Second Consecutive Award for Event Horse Farriery
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