Hot New French Horseshoe Design Uses Scalloped Onions to Catch Your Eye

Oo-la-la!! The French firm of Michel Vaillant has a hot new horseshoe design that would certainly win any design competition. The new Parabolic Sport Horse Shoe is side-clipped, with onion-esque heels that flow out in a graceful curve from the branches and then are scalloped where the heels meet the frog. They call it "ergonomic heel support" but Hoofcare & Lameness readers will remember that onion heels have their traditional roots, so to speak, in France.

Will it fit every foot? Can the onions be de-scalloped? It's too soon to tell, but the Parabolic Sport is an eyeful to behold. I wonder if they make a hind pattern? That might fit a USA front...Will they find their way across the Atlantic?

Lots more info, in French of course, at the Michel Vaillant web site.

12th Michel Vaillant Conference This Week in France

Here's what we are all missing in France this weekend. This is a fantastic lineup of speakers and subjects, including some familiar authors from Hoofcare & Lameness Journal. The conference is in Cluses, in the southeastern corner of France, if you happen to be reading this from Europe...or can catch the next flight.

Full details here.

Sorry about the translation, this is what they had written. A "phlebogram" is a venogram.

Friday March 16th

Roland Perrin (Vet - France):
The third phalanx in 3 dimensions.

Philippe Grandjean (Farrier -France):
Applications for sole protection grading

Marta Prades ( Vet - Spain) + Marti Sala (Farrier - Spain):
Points of view of the vet and the farrier concerning anatomy, biomechanics, radiographic diagnosis, surgery and shoeing.

Lorenzo d’Arpe (Vet - Italy):
Relationships between the Palmar angle and the Phlebogram - Preparation and presentation.

Francis Desbrosse (Vet - France) + Bernard Duvernay (Farrier - Swiss):
Importance of dynamic examinations in farriery: interest, procedure, limits.

Philippe Benoit (Vet - France):
Synergie of good cooperation between the vet, the farrier, the rider in top level sport.

Demonstrations, Workshops:

Glue-on aluminum shoeing.
Trimming cows.
Prescription shoeing workshop: aluminum and forced steelk.
Tool sharpening workshop
Tapping workshop
Bi-injection workshop


Saturday March 17th:

Jean Marie Denoix (Vet - France):
How ultrasound can help in treating tendon and ligament lesions

Philippe Benoit (Vet - France):
Analyzing movement with a high speed camera

Lorenzo D’Arpe (Vet - Italy)+ Xavier Moreau (Farrier -France):
Relationships between the Palmaire angle and the Phlebogram. Results and shoeing.

Henry Chateau (Vet-France):
Digital biomechanics- examples of farriery applications.

Nathalie Crevier (Vet - France):
A new process for measuring the superficial digital flexor tendon tension in horses in movement – application examples.

UMR of biomechanics and locomotory pathologies in horses, Maison Alfort (Henry Chateau, Laurent Pacquet, Nathalie Crevier-Denoix, Philippe Pourcelot, Bérangère Ravary, Sylvain Falala, Jean-Paul Valette, Jean-Marie Denoix):
Biomechanical assessment of the impact of equestrian surfaces on the equine locomotor system – Preliminary results in trotting horses.

Philippe Grandjean (Farrier-France):
Reading and interpreting hoof capsule deformations

Maximilien Brabec (Consultant - France):
Defending the value of your know how with your customers.

Aaron Gygax (Farrier - Swiss and Rood and Riddle USA):
Sports horses and glue-on shoes.

McIlwraith Recognized for Achievements in Equine Orthopedics

FORT COLLINS, COLORADO - Wayne McIlwraith BVSc, PhD, FRCVS, DSc, Dr. med vet (hc), Diplomate ACVS, director of the Colorado State University Equine Orthopaedic Research Center, was recently recognized with the Founder's Award for Career Achievement, given by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the art and science of veterinary surgery by diplomats of the ACVS, and is the college's most prestigious award.

The award credits McIlwraith for selflessly sharing his knowledge through teaching, publications and training of other veterinarians.

McIlwraith currently holds the Barbara Cox Anthony University Endowed Chair at Colorado State. He has trained more than 44 graduate students and supervised 20 residents in equine surgery He is recognized internationally as an authority on equine orthopedics, and has written or co-written 230 research papers and ten textbooks.

McIlwraith has previously been recognized with numerous honorary degrees from as far away as New Zealand, Italy and Vienna. He has lectured extensively on equine orthopedics.

"Dr. Mcilwraith has been one of the most recognized names in equine surgery and orthopedic research in the past 50 years and possibly the last century," said Cornell University's Dr. Alan Nixon, veterinarian and diplomat of the ACVS, who presented the award.

"His work shows contributions in every area associated with the development of the principals of surgery, the quest for better techniques and medications through research, and a tireless effort to teach others and share knowledge with equine surgeons throughout the world," he continued. "He is the embodiment of a combination of surgical practice and surgical research, a tireless disseminator of his extensive knowledge, and the 'father' of arthroscopy surgery in the horse. He is an extraordinary mentor to numerous surgeons both here and abroad."

Dr. McIlwraith received his veterinary degree from Massey University, New Zealand. He received his master's and doctoral degrees in joint disease research while at Purdue. Dr. McIlwraith became board certified as a diplomat in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1979 and joined the faculty at Colorado State that same year.
(provided by press release)

Photo of Dr. McIlwraith courtesy of Colorado State.

Gibbins Sold to Carl Bettison

The British farrier supply and apron manufacturer J&C Gibbins in Woodbridge in Suffolk had a big announcement to make at the recent trade show of the American Farrier's Association convention.

On Friday afternoon, owners John and Caroline Gibbins brought out a nice new jacket with their company logo on it. Emblazoned on it also was the name of Carl Bettison, best known as the public face of Stromsholm Ltd UK.

"We have enjoyed nearly 25 years serving the farriy trade and have now sold our business to Carl Bettison, who is running it as Gibbins UK Ltd.," they wrote in their announcement.

"It is our intention to continue to support Carl and the staff who now work for him, for as long as they need us," they continued.

"However, this seems an appropriate time for us to thank you all for the support and friendship you have given us over many years and to and to wish you continued success," the announcement ended.

The Gibbins product line has always centered on leather, and includes a well-designed farriers vest that has deep coverage in the rear. They also sell a delightfully British line of gardening aprons.

Hoofcare & Lameness has enjoyed working with and knowing John and Caroline Gibbins since they entered the trade in the early 1980s. They are two of the friendliest and most interesting tradespeople that have ever crossed the pond. I will miss them very much. I regret that I never had the chance to visit their seaside offices in England. And I'll look forward to working with Carl, of course, who is also a very old friend.

To learn more, visit http://www.gibbins.co.uk

Palm Beach Laminitis Conference Launches Web Site

Information will be posted at a new web site designed for speakers, attendees and exhibitors at the Fourth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, to be held November 3-5, 2007 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Learn more about the in-depth educational opportunities to be offered at http://www.laminitisconference.com.

U.S. subscribers to Hoofcare & Lameness Journal will receive invitations to attend in the mail in the next month or so.

AFA 2007 Convention Competition Winners Announced

The American Farrier's Association (AFA) hosted its annual international farrier competition with more than 60 farriers competing for belt buckles, trophies and lots of cash at the recent AFA Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Judges were Gerard Laverty CJF, TE of British Columbia, Jim Keith CJF of New Mexico, and Jim Poor CJF of Texas.

Here's a rundown of class winners:

1. Journeyman Shoes Class, sponsored by St Croix Forge, was won by Conrad Trow of Kentucky.

2. Hunter Shoes Class, sponsored by the Farrier Industry Association (FIA), was won by Mark Milster of Oklahoma.

3. Mustad Specialty Forging Class, sponsored by Mustad, was won by Darren Bazin of the United Kingdom.

4. 2-Man Draft Shoemaking Class, sponsored by Durasole, was won by Bill Poor of Texas & Bryce Burnett of Florida.

5. The North American Challenge Cup (NACC) Qualifying Class, with pins sponsored by Bloom Forge, was won by Billy Crothers of Wales.

6. The North American Challenge Cup (a.k.a. "Live Shoeing"), sponsored by Capewell, was won by Craig Trnka of New Mexico.

7. National High Point Winner Award, sponsored by Grant Moon & Bob Pethick, was won by Craig Trnka of New Mexico.

8. Overall High Point Winner, sponsored by Equine Forgings Ltd. was a tie between Billy Crothers & Craig Trnka.

9. The Shoeing Rig Contest was won by Glen Spradling of Texas.

10. The Shoe Case Classic was won by Gene Lieser of Texas.

11. The Vern Hornquist Class, sponsored by Myron McLane and Walt Taylor, was won by Dennis Manning of Utah.

Interesting statistics: in the main competition (not counting Vern's class), only 17 per cent of the prize winners were from east of the Mississippi, with three of them being from Kentucky. This is a complete reversal from 20 years ago, when prize winners from the Northeast dominated the prizes and the team placings.

Hoofcare & Lameness's unofficial "Marathon Man" award goes to Mark Milster of Oklahoma, whose name shows up on the finalists' list for five different classes.

British contestants showed up as finalists in all classes except the draft shoes class, which was traditionally dominated by the likes of Edward Martin, Jim and Allan Ferrie, and David Wilson, all from Scotland; no one from Scotland made the trip this year. Billy Crothers, who shared the high-point overall award with USA's Craig Trnka, is the reigning World Champion Blacksmith.

No word yet on who will represent the USA on the national farriers' team for 2007.

Thanks to rules committee chairman Myron McLane for sharing the results with Hoofcare & Lamenes.