Mustad Champion of Champions Exhibition, 8th May 2010

26 May 2010

Previous winners of the World Championship Blacksmiths Competition held at the Calgary Stampede each year were invited to take part in a competitive farriery exhibition in aid of charity at The Forge, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire alongside NAFBAE’s ‘Farriery Focus’ on Saturday 8th May 2010.

Organised by Mustad the ‘Champions’ travelled from within the UK, the US and Canada to come together in what would be the ultimate display of competitive farriery and a rare opportunity to see so many previous World Champions together sharing their skills and knowledge. Never before have they all taken part in such an event under one roof. The bonus of representing individually chosen charities further compelled their desire to take part - Billy chose Breakthrough for Breast Cancer as his nominated charity – each participant received £250 for their chosen charity, with the chance of winning £5,000 for ‘first’ prize.

Judged by David Wilson BEM FWCF AWCB (Scotland), a previous winner of the Calgary World Championships, and Marshall Iles CJF (Canada), Chief Steward at the Calgary World Championships, the competitors were split into two shoeing rounds whereby they were required to trim and dress a foot, make and fit a three quarter fullered front shoe for the foot, nail and finish the shoe to the foot and make a three quarter fullered roadster hind ‘specimen’ shoe to match the judge’s specifications; all in just 70 minutes. A fast and furious competitive round resulted in a display of forging and shoeing skills revealing the finest collection of farriery ever exposed, witnessed by approximately 300 farriers from the UK and Europe in the well-stocked viewing stands.

The evening black tie dinner culminated in the announcement of the overall winner of the Exhibition. Paul Robinson was crowned ‘Champion of the Champions 2010’ and was “delighted” to receive the amazing trophy and a cheque, donated by Mustad, for £5,000 for the Neonatal Unit at Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock where his beautiful daughter Kate spent time after she was born in December last year.  Paul won the World Championships in Calgary in 2008 and last year won the National Championship in the UK. Thanking Mustad for putting on the event, Paul further endorsed his belief in farriery competitions as helping to “raise the overall standard” and noted that the Champion of Champions Exhibition has been an “amazing event for farriery”.

A total of £8,000 was raised for the various charities by participating Champions. A further auction on Saturday night with prizes donated by many of the Champions raised £3,200.

Congratulations to all who took part! -
o Darren Bazin, England (Cancer Research UK)
o Paul Robinson, Ireland (Neonatal Unit, Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock)
o Steven Beane, England (Cancer Research UK)
o Grant Moon, Wales (Riding for the Disabled)
o Billy Crothers, Wales (Breakthrough for Breast Cancer)
o Jim Blurton, Wales (Hope House Children’s Hospice)
o Shayne Carter, USA  (Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund)
o Mark Milster, USA (Parker Milster Memorial Fund)
o Craig Trnka, USA (Lance Armstrong Foundation)
o Bob Marshall, Canada (MacMillan Nurses)
o Richard Ellis, Wales (Aviation Without Borders)
o Austin Edens, USA (Sisters of the Presentation)