Worshipful Company of Farriers Awards "Best Shod Horse" Title at Britain's Horse of the Year Show

Carl Bettison AWCF (Hons) judging a hunter during the Worshipful Company of Farrier's Best Shod Horse evaluation at Great Britain's year-end Horse of the Year Show last month. (photo used with permission)

This article is edited for international readers from a British press release

Great Britain’s 2015 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) saw the prestigious Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) Best Shod Horse competition take place on Friday, October 9. Entrants lined up ready for their hoof inspection in order to have a chance of winning this reputable award.

Hooves@War Veterans Day Salute: Farrier Heroes 100 Years Ago at a Place Called Ypres

This lithograph by Howard K. Elcock depicts Provisional Farrier Sergeant T. Cussens of the Army Service Corps rescuing horses from a stable at Ypres during a shell attack. He received the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his brave act. Six men and many horses were killed by the shell. 

American Pharoah Wore Custom Heel Plate Horseshoe in Breeders Cup

In an interview today from the Breeders Cup at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, Santa Anita horseshoer Wesley Champagne confirmed that 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah raced today in the Classic wearing his now-trademark heel-plate double-shoe on his injured left front foot.

Will Golden Horn Make History at the Breeders Cup? Meet His Farrier, Ed O'Shaughnessy

Newmarket, England farrier Ed O'Shaughnessy looks like he's about to share a bottle of champagne with his #1 customer, champion three-year-old Thoroughbred Golden Horn, trained by Ed's client, John Gosden. Earlier this month, Golden Horn became only the seventh horse in the long history of British racing to win both the English Derby and the French Arc. And today, Golden Horn will run in Ed's shoes in the Breeders Cup Longines Turf to make history by winning the third great turf race, in a third country. British farrier supplier Stromshom Supplies presented the bottle of champagne to Ed, who was their "plater of the year" for 2014.

It's Breeders Cup day. Click around the Internet and you can see the races through the eyes of the breeders, the jockeys, the trainers, the owners, the bettors, and everyone else with a stake in the world championship race day.

Here's a chance to look at one of the world's top horses through its shoes, as told by his farrier.

For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow: Sarah Brown Passes Britain’s Highest Farrier Examination

Scotland's Sarah Mary Brown joined the small rank of farriers worldwide who have earned the right to add the letters "FWCF" after their names. This means that they have been through all the examinations of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, including the highest level, the Fellowship exam, which Sarah passed on October 12, 2015. And yes, if anyone is counting: she is the first woman in the world to do it. (2014 Aaron "Cowboy" Kampfer portrait of Sarah)

Education Update with Michael Wildenstein at 10th Annual Equine Clinic at Oakencroft Farrier Conference October 22-23

Date: October 22-23, 2015 (Thursday and Friday)

Time: 8AM - 5PM
Clinician: Consulting/referral farrier Michael Wildenstein, FWCF (Hons)

Location: The Equine Clinic at Oakencroft, 880 Bridge St. Ravena, NY 12143

Price: Thursday & Friday $275; Thursday only $140; Friday only $130

Reserve your place: call 518-767-2906 or email equineclinic@oakencroft.org
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Driving directions to The Clinic at Oakencroft