The 26th International Farriery Competition & 16th International Blacksmithing Competition

The 2005 International Competitions reverted back to the Town and County Festival, held over the August bank holiday weekend. Eleven teams from around the world came to compete in the most prestigious team competition on the competition calendar. On Friday 26th August all the teams arrived at the Forge for their last practice. In the afternoon the judges; Gary Darlow and Craig Trnka, explained how to make the shoes and what specific details they will be looking for. This gave all the competitors a chance to ask questions and prepare for the start of the competitions.

Early on Saturday morning the teams returned to the Forge ready to start the competition. The Individual competition commenced at 8.30am while the Team Gas Forging did not get underway until 10.00am. Before the Team Gas Forging competition could start the shoes had to be selected. Each of the teams are given details of six shoes for the gas forging, however only four shoes need to be made. The shoes that were drawn for the competition were; 3/4 hind bar shoe, Caulk and feather roadster, Hind bar with lateral wedge and the Gaited horse toe weight shoe. The Team Gas Forging competition was highly contested, the results are;

The Individual Competition was also highly contested, only a few points separated the top eight competitors in the class. The result was;

With both of Saturdays competitions finished the teams returned to the Chesford Grange Hotel for a relaxing and social evening. The competing times for the second part of the Team competition was made and the teams competing on the first rounds prepared for an early start on the second day.

In the second part if the competition each team has to shoe a horse. Each team has four hours to shoe a complete horse and make four specimen shoes. The teams were divided into pairs, with the first two competitors shoeing the front feet and making the first two of the specimens.

After all the rounds were completed the teams returned to the hotel for the prize presentation dinner. The top six teams in the 26th International Farriery Competition are;

The 26th International Farriery Competition winning team members; Billy Crothers, James Blurton, Andy Martin and Mark Evans. Reserve competitor Nigel Brown.

On the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday the 16th International Blacksmithing Competition took place. Each of the Blacksmithing competitors were given one and half hours to make a gate farm hook to the specifications given and also a free piece. The results were announced on the Monday afternoon just before a lecture on wrought iron was given. The winners of the 16th International Blacksmithing Competition were;

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