Thread: World Blacksmithing Championships

Today I had the opportunity to attend some of the World Blacksmithing Championship heats in Calgary during the Calgary stampede. Competing for Australia were Dean Lewis and Fred Savage. I don't know the outcome (these a posted after I left) but I think Dean and Fred didn't get into the final because they didn't finish shoeing. Nevertheless I found the whole thing fascinating.

Here are a few pics

Here's the setup - 14 forges, staged start, this heat was make and fit two heavy horse shoes within one hour. Dean and Fred are the blokes in the blue singlets in the middle of the shot
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We got there early and managed to sneak into the competitors area, spectators were supposed to be on the bleachers.

Shortening the stock to build up the middle of the shoe
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Rounding over the ends of the shoe.
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Dean shortening the stock
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I dunno, is that hot enough?
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One of the Canadian Teams in action
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Some more shots of Dean in action
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Fred at the forge
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FInal rounding over
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Cutting the nail groove.
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If your images depict the nature of the competition, I'm surprised the event is called the World Blacksmithing Championships. Blacksmiths are general forgers and metal-workers, while farriers are individuals who combine horse shoeing with a level of veterinary care for horses' feet.

Any farriers I've met would be more than a little miffed to be called blacksmiths!

Originally Posted by Woodwould

If your images depict the nature of the competition, I'm surprised the event is called the World Blacksmithing Championships. Blacksmiths are general forgers and metal-workers, while farriers are individuals who combine horse shoeing with a level of veterinary care for horses' feet. Any farriers I've met would be more than a little miffed to be called blacksmiths!

Well, all I can say the contestants didn't seem to be too worried about the name of the competition .


Here is what they have to do over 3 days :
*************************************************************************************
THURSDAY, JULY 8
A full day of Forging
Class 20/30: 60 minutes
Competitors to shoe one foot with appropriate concave barstock. Shoe to have a hammer drawn toe clip. Specimen shoe must also be forged during time limit to be identified at competitors meeting. Both the shod foot and specimen must be complete to be judged.

Class 40/50: 50 minutes
Both the aluminum bar shoe and the Morgan hind must be complete to qualify for judging. Each shoe will be judged individually and must be completed to specifications.

Aluminum Bar shoe
Specs: ¾ fullered straight bar to be forge welded. Toe insert to be made from stock provided. 140mm wide. Hammer finish only. Six nails punched for MX60. Barstock: 330mm of 10mm x 25mm aluminum flat and 305mm of 7mm round for toe insert.

Morgan Hind
Specs: Toe of shoe to be forged for break over. Plain stamped for six nail holes to fit a city head 6. Heel caulks to be forged. Quarter clips to be drawn. Hammer finish only. 115mm wide.
Barstock: 265mm of 10mm x 25mm flat.

FRIDAY, JULY 9
Forging and Team Events
Class 60 continues to see time on the clock reduced and this time competitors have only 40 minutes to build a pair of tongs. Our Eagle Eye class, Class 70 requires competitors to forge a heart bar shoe to a foot model provided in 25 minutes. Contestants return in the afternoon to compete in the Four Man Team Draft Horseshoeing…always a crowd favorite.

Class 60 – Tong class: 40 minutes
Contestants to forge a pair of V-jaw tongs to fit a piece of 5/8” square stock from the blanks and rivet provided. Finished tongs will be judged on fit, forging and finish.
Barstock: Blanks to be forged from ¾” round with 4” of length before the transition to the reins. Blanks may be cut shorter prior to class start.

Class 70 – Eagle Eye: 25 minutes
Contestants to forge a ¾ fullered heartbar to fit foot model provided. Appropriate barstock selection provided suitable number of holes to be punched for MX60.

Class 110 – Four Man Team Draft Horseshoeing: 120 minutes
Click here for Class 110 Shoe Picture
This has always been one of our premier events and looking towards the future, we have decided to up the ante. A very generous local Calgary oilman has donated a large sum to enable us to make winning the four man well worth the tremendous effort.
Barstock: 13mm x 32mm flat
Specs: ¾ Fullered flat shoes toe clips front and hind to be hammer drawn. Shoes to have definite inside and outside branches.
Nail: Size of choice.

SATURDAY, JULY 10
Fast and Fantastic
The Two Man is a shoeing class this year with teams shoeing a front and a hind foot of a light draft horse within the 60 minute time limit. This is the last chance at points to qualify for the Top Ten. The “potluck” Artistic Forging follows directly after and is bound to generate some interest on the part of both spectator and fellow competitors! Saturday night is a great night to socialize and soak up the talent at the Metal Art Auction.

Class 80 – The Cyril Standen Signature Class (Two Man Team Shoeing): 60 minutes
Click here for Class 80 Shoe Pictures
Two person teams will shoe a front and a hind foot of a light draft horse using appropriate flat barstock provided. Shoes to be ¾ fullered with toe clip drawn from masselotes. Both feet must be finished in order to qualify for final judging.

SUNDAY, JULY 11
The Grande Finale
The pressure is on as the Top Ten Finalists battle it out to make the Top Five and a chance at the World Championship. The World Champion, along with the top competitors, will walk the stage in front of 17,000 people in the Grandstand. A Banquet and Awards Ceremony will follow in the evening.

Fair enough. I meant to say before, great pictures!

Originally Posted by Woodwould

If your images depict the nature of the competition, I'm surprised the event is called the World Blacksmithing Championships. Blacksmiths are general forgers and metal-workers, while farriers are individuals who combine horse shoeing with a level of veterinary care for horses' feet.

Any farriers I've met would be more than a little miffed to be called blacksmiths!

I thought it would have been the the other way around
The blacksmith would be miffed to be called a farrier
and the farriers would be honored to be called a blacksmith.

Bob,
I never even imagined that these type of contest existed, thanks for posting with photo's.

Dave

Originally Posted by Dave J

I thought it would have been the the other way around
The blacksmith would be miffed to be called a farrier
and the farriers would be honored to be called a blacksmith.

Anyone with developed forearms, a hammer, hearth and an anvil can set themselves up as a blacksmith, but becoming a farrier requires knowledge of equine anatomy, which entails much regulated learning at specialist colleges.

Wikipedia has some info. "In the United Kingdom, it is illegal for anyone other than a registered farrier to call themselves a farrier or to carry out any farriery work under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975".

I don't know about Australia, but the US has similar guidelines all in order to protect horses from untrained blacksmiths.

'Blacksmith' champs seems about right to me . The emphasis on things relating to shoeing fits with the overall nature of the Calgary Stampede .

Bob , were there any blokes wearing silver ferns on black singlets there ?

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Anyone with developed forearms, a hammer, hearth and an anvil can set themselves up as a blacksmith, but becoming a farrier requires knowledge of equine anatomy, which entails much regulated learning at specialist colleges.

You do realise that Blacksmithing is a highly skilled trade don't you ?

Originally Posted by Manuka Jock

You do realise that Blacksmithing is a highly skilled trade don't you ?

Yes, I happen to know a fair bit about blacksmithing and a fair bit about farriers too.

MJ there probably were some "all blacks" but I couldn't see any.

I spoke to one guy who was a spectator and he said he was a farrier of Vic racehorses. When I asked him if he every competed? he said he would find it too hard, he never makes any shoes, just buys pre-made blanks and resizes them.

Not sure about other farriers but we have 2 horses that get shod. All the farriers we have ever had over the last 30 years (and everyone around us) have been taught from older people, that have either passed on or are too old to do it any more, not taught at any at specialist college. I will also add no one has ever had a lame horse from it being shod either.
Maybe for high dollar race horses etc I could see this being a necessity, but for country people, it is taught by years of look and lean.
Dave

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Yes, I happen to know a fair bit about blacksmithing and a fair bit about farriers too.

So the reason for your comment above was ?

Originally Posted by Dave J

Bob,
I never even imagined that these type of contest existed, thanks for posting with photo's.

Cheers Dave, yeah the competition was fascinating to watch. Every team was different. Some blokes run between what they do - others go slow and steady. You can see the nerves with some blokes dropping their shoes while the beat them. The timing of the blows and moving the tools is awesome.

These Canadians looked pretty coordinated to me.
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The littler guy is using a short grip on that hammer and it was ping-ping-ping-ping - very impressive. Obviously a lot of practice and years of experience involved. You'll not that not many are wearing safety glasses or proper boots or aprons/chaps!

At one point Dean shortened off a piece of stock and the red hot piece went flying off into a smal group of spectators!

Originally Posted by BobL

MJ there probably were some "all blacks" but I couldn't see any.

I spoke to one guy who was a spectator and he said he was a farrier of Vic racehorses. When I asked him if he every competed? he said he would find it too hard, he never makes any shoes, just buys pre-made blanks and resizes them.

Yep , until they come across a big fella , and they gotta get out the full kit and work up a sweat eh .
My brother had a trotter that wore shoes that would have done a Clydesdale proud . 18" bar stock