Sparkling success for new farriery event

More than 60 apprentice and qualified farriers from right across the country, including members of the England and Ireland teams, took part in the Suffolk Agricultural Association’s first accredited training day and farriery competition, held outside of the Suffolk Show.

The Eastern Counties Spring Championship was an open event and held following a day’s hunter shoeing tuition with one of the UK’s most eminent farriers, Gary Darlow AFCL( Associate of the Farriers Company of London) from Knutsford, Cheshire, who judged the championship.  Mr Darlow, as seven times national champion and winner of every shoeing and shoe making title in the UK, gave practical hunter shoeing training for both qualified and apprentice farriers and participants were awarded the equivalent of four training points.

The Eastern Counties Spring Championship held the following day comprised 133 rounds of shoemaking and shoeing in just under eight hours in six classes, two open to registered farriers only, with prize money totally more than £1800 and a first prize of £500 for the open Hunter Shoeing class. 

There were money prizes for the first four in each class, except the Eagle Eye which had one winner. The event was sponsored by AJN Steelstock Ltd and Handmade Shoes (UK) Ltd and supported by the Worshipful Company of Farriers who provided silver or bronze medals.

Chief steward Stuart Garrard DWCF (Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers) a farrier and for the past four years head steward of farriery at the Suffolk Show co-organised the event with Ben Duthie. Commenting on the success of the day he said,

”We hope this will be the first of many such days. The feedback was excellent. It was highly successful and drew farriers and apprentices from all over the country ensuring standards were high and confirming there is a definite need for events like this.” 

Results of the farriery classes held at the Eastern Counties Open Championships are as follows:

Class 1 – Open Hunter Shoeing

1^st– Andrew Casserly

2^nd– Matthew Randles

3^rd– Nigel Fennell

4^th– Edward O’Shaughnessy

Res – Ricky Hilton

Highly Commended – Ben Casserly

Class 2 – Therapeutic

1^st - Andrew Casserly

2^nd– Leon Bentham

3^rd– Nigel Fennell

4^th– Matthew Randles

Res – Gavin Golby

Highly Commended – Ricky Hilton

Class 3 – Apprentice Shoemaking – 1^st & 2^nd Years

1^st– Robbie Watson-Greaves

2^nd– Shaun Evans

3^rd– Stuart McGaffin

4^th– Charlie Cerullo

Class 4 – Apprentice Shoemaking – 3^rd & 4^th Years

1^st– J C Lee

2^nd– Ben Coy

3^rd– Harry Meek

4^th– Jake Elliott

Class 5 – Apprentice Therapeutic

1^st – Jake Elliott

2^nd – J C Lee

3^rd – Sammy O’Gara

4^th – Tom Wait

Res – Harry Meek

Highly Commended – Stuart McGaffin

Class 6 – Eagle Eye

1^st – William Hampson