Neville Clarke, from Poverty Bay will be in action at the Maneline Kerckhaert Farrier and Blacksmith Championship at Equidays next month.
Neville Clarke, from Poverty Bay will be in action at the Maneline Kerckhaert Farrier and Blacksmith Championship at Equidays next month.
Farriers and blacksmiths from all over New Zealand will go hoof to hoof at the Maneline Kerckhaert Farrier and Blacksmith Championship at Equidays next month, in what promises to be the largest show of shoeing skill in the country.
Equidays and Kowhai Forge present the Kowhai Forge ArtisticBlacksmithing Competition on Friday, October 14, and the Great Maneline Kerckhaert Farriers Shoe Off on Saturday, and Sunday, October 15-16.
"This is the first farrier competition to ever be held at Equidays and we're thrilled," says Ammie Hardie, Equidays Event Manager.
"A core focus of Equidays is education and good hoof care is imperative in horse management and now spectators can see how the pros do it. The Maneline Kerckhaert Farrier and Blacksmith Championship will be a fantastic edition to Equidays."
Ben Stevens, of Kowhai Forge, says the championship will be a demanding show of professional growth.
"The Maneline Kerckhaert Farrier and Blacksmith Championship will ask farriers to display their skill, training and techniques in an environment designed to see them push themselves," said Ben.
"We're wanting to encourage their continuous growth and upskilling in their profession of farriery."
"Over a series of heats, farriers will be asked to present a wide range of abilities to show competency, trained ability and knowledgeable insight to the wide range of problems and situations they may encounter on a daily basis.
"From hand-forging a range of remedial shows, to accuracy in timed runs performing general showing, this competition ensures the farriers who compete are farriers who never stop striving to be the best they can be."
The Kowhai Forge Artistic Blacksmithing Competition gives competitors the Friday of Equidays to traditionally forge anything they desire - limited only by their skills and imagination. An assortment of steel will be provided from which contestants will forge their creations. Only traditional blacksmithing tools will be allowed.
Equidays visitors will then have the opportunity to vote for the winner and all works will be auctioned off with proceeds going to charity. Each artist will choose their charity to donate to.
The Great Maneline Kerckhaert Farriers Shoe Off consists of nine events: Junior Apprentice; Senior Apprentice; Intermediate; Open Forging; Open Shoeing; Speed Forging; Judges' Choice; Eagle Eye; Draught shoeing.
Visit equidays.co.nz for more information or email Ben Stevens of Kowhai Forge on ben@kowhaiforge.co.nz for entry information and to register.
