Farrier Competition Scene: Change/No Change at the Top

Jill and Kyle Ballard, two of the founders of the fledgling World Championship Blacksmiths competition corporation, have left the new company.

I interviewed Jill today, and as expected, she was upbeat about their decision not to continue with the venture. "We decided to step down as owners," she told me. "It's about spending time with our family. We have two children under the age of three and would like to have more. WCB was a bigger commitment than we can make right now."

Jill, who was Chief Planning and Operations Officer, and her husband Kyle, who was Chief Financial Officer, live outside Ithaca, Nebraska. Kyle is president of the Midwestern Farriers Association and, as such, a member of the Board of Directors of the American Farrier's Association.

Jill left her position as director of education for the American Farrier's Association to concentrate on her role with the WCB. She was optimistic about the future of the WCB's management, which will now be in the hands of Julie Ridley in Iowa. "Julie will do a good job," Jill said, "and I'm sure Kyle will still compete. We'll just be watching from the sidelines."

Meanwhile, Myron McLane, longtime chairman of the Rules Committee of the American Farrier's Association, wants everyone to know that he has not resigned. "The rumor mill has started once again," he notified me by email. "Just in case anyone is interested, I am still chairman of the AFA rules committee. I have not resigned as you may have been told (probably by someone who wishes I did).

"I am also NOT a member of the committee looking into the WCB thing," he continued. "My committee (the AFA Rules Committee) has already looked into it and has given its recommendation to the BOD (Board of Directors). Our job is done."

The "WCB Thing" that Myron refers to is a proposal by the World Championship Blacksmiths LLC to replace the annual AFA competitions with the national finals of WCB's regional competition series. When asked, Myron's committee advised the AFA against making such a change but the Board then appointed its own committee to look at the proposal. The Board had already granted WCB, a for-profit entity, a seat on its Board by making the corporation a "chapter" of the organization. The convention contest proposal is either a hostile takeover attempt or a gift from the hammer gods, depending on whom within the AFA political insider groups one asks.

To see how things can change, or don't change, Jill and Myron were both quoted in my post of June 15.

Photo of Myron McLane courtesy of http://www.hoofcare.com

Mustad Hoofcare Center Announces New Horseshoe Products, Lower Prices; Expands into Standardbred Racing Scene

(via press release)

FOREST LAKE, Minn. – March 16, 2007 – Mustad Hoofcare Center (MHC) has announced several new products for 2007 that reflect the expressed needs of farriers across North America. Also, MHC announced lower prices on many of its popular horseshoe products for 2007.

MHC President Carlos Xifra said the new products are the result of the company’s commitment to “listening and responding to farriers, helping them grow their businesses efficiently and conveniently.”

Produced under the company’s St. Croix Forge brand, many of the new horseshoe products also will reflect lower pricing for 2007, the result of hard work and greater efficiencies obtained by the entire MHC team, according to Xifra.

“These price reductions and the ability to hold other horseshoe prices in the face of rising material, labor and transportation costs are the result of internal efficiency gains produced by our team’s efforts over the past year,” he said. “We are very pleased to translate these efficiencies to our customers in the form of lower pricing.”

A number of exciting product line expansions are part of the broad slate of new products for 2007.

· Eventer & EZ Plus horseshoes will add size 00 in response to demand by farriers for new sizes. The new sized shoes will offer the same features as other Eventer & EZ Plus Shoes, and will be available Spring 2007.

· The popularity of the Aluminum Eventer line continues with the addition of the new Aluminum Eventer Unclipped version, the aluminum front Eventer Plus and the Aluminum Eventer Two–Degree wedge models. Available now in size 000-3, the Aluminum Eventer Unclipped front is more affordable than buying clipped shoes and knocking the clip off, saving labor for the farrier. The Eventer Plus aluminum front comes in both clipped and unclipped versions offering a wider web for better support, with lateral extensions. The Aluminum Eventer Two–Degree Front offers a corrective shoe to address some heel conditions. Both Aluminum Eventer Plus and Two-Degree fronts will be available summer 2007.

· MHC offers a new family of products: EZ Plus with a V-shaped crease, a fully featured shoe with a V crease that allows for better positioning of nails, as well as safer locking of the nail head to the shoe. “This will save the farrier time in shaping, and will be easier to work with than other shoes,” said Xifra. “The lateral support for the hoof is built in.” The new line, available summer 2007, will replace the current EZ Plus line of shoes.

· MHC brings some of these features with its new EZ Lite line of shoes. These shoes are based on the popular line of Lite shoes, in a front and hind pattern, finished heels, seating, an outstanding V-shaped crease, punched for CH nails, available in sizes 000 thru 3. Available Summer 2007, this line will replace the Lite Hind shoes currently offered by St. Croix Forge.

· The popular Lite Heel Hind shoes are offered in sizes 00 thru 3 saving farriers time at the anvil, offering sole pressure relief, a nail pattern that allows room for side clips and an excellent nail seating.

· A new line of Concave Plus Front and Hind shoes will also be available spring 2007 with the same features as the popular Eventer Plus shoes – symmetrical fronts with lateral extensions, and left and right hinds with slightly longer and wider outside branches. Punched for E-head nails, with toe and side clips, available in sizes 000 thru 4.

· While MHC has kept farriers in mind with its new line of products, the new Polo Front shoe offers better field and competitive performance to the horse with a new shape and design. Already available, the shoe features a more aggressive heel cut as a running change with the existing Polo front line.

MHC is adding a new product line of Harness Shoes in the spring of 2007 with the new Full Swedge Front, Full Swedge Hind, 9/16” wide Half Round Front and Half Swedge Hinds shoes. The new line features a more aggressive outer rim for traction and stability. Made from a harder material for better durability and wear – while still within the required weight targets – these Harness Shoes offer a truer shape to the hoof to save farriers time at the anvil. Sole pressure relief, better nail positioning, precision nail holes, are just some of the benefits offered by these shoes. Punched for RN 4.5, available in sizes 00 thru 5.

Continuing the quality of the St. Croix Forge Aluminum Racing Shoes and Plates, MHC introduces a new size 9 outer rim race plate both for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing events. Produced with MHC’s high quality standards and the finest aluminum alloy available, toe and side clips have been added to the aluminum race plates

For more information on these new products, or other St. Croix Forge Products, visit www.stcroixforge.com.

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