News
Diploma Presentation Ceremony
28th August 2008
The Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, Colonel Richard Kinsella-Bevan, and the Chairman of the Farriers Registration Council, Mr Simon Curtis FWCF, presided at a Presentation Ceremony at The Honourable Artillery Company, London on Thursday, 28th August 2008.
The Master addressed the assembly and presented the Company’s Diploma to fifty candidates, six of whom achieved Distinctions. Three working Farriers from the Republic of Ireland achieved the Diploma.
The Equinalysis Prize for the best written paper went to Mr C A Smith DipWCF. The examinations for the Company’s Diploma took place in July at Herefordshire College of Technology, Warwickshire College, Myerscough College, Oatridge Agricultural College in Scotland, and at Enniskillen College in Northern Ireland.
The Chairman of the Farriers Registration Council also addressed the assembly.
A Church Service, led by the Company Chaplain, Canon Flora Winfield, was held at Wesley’s Chapel immediately prior to the Presentation Ceremony. The recipients were supported by their Approved Training Farriers, together with their families and friends. Altogether, some 250 persons attended the event.
The photographs are by Gerald Sharp Photography. The full set can be viewed at http://www.sharpphoto.co.uk/.
Details of Certified Euro-Farrier Released
26th August 2008
In November 2008, the European Federation of Farrier Associations (EFFA) will announce the launch of the Europe-wide qualification Certified Euro-Farrier. Working farriers who have completed a course of formal training and have achieved those national qualifications which are recognised as meeting EFFA’s Basic Standards of Competence will be entitled to put CE-F after their names, will be awarded a Certificate and from 1 January 2009 will receive an annual vehicle window sticker.
EFFA’s standards were developed by the member nations with assistance from the European Commission’s Leonardo da Vinci project. Countries currently registered as being eligible are Switzerland, Holland, Austria, Great Britain, Denmark and Finland. Other countries will be accredited as they reach the necessary standard. The farrier associations in each country will be responsible for submitting the names of those eligible and for keeping the record up to date with additions and removals. Names and contact details of CE-Fs will be published on EFFA’s website – www.eurofarrier.org.
The aims of the Certified Euro-Farrier scheme are to:
• Provide recognition for those who have achieved the necessary standards of competence.
• Provide a means of identifying competent farriers from other countries. This is particularly important for horse owners in view of EU legislation allowing farriers to practise in other countries purely on the basis of experience.
• Encourage countries without qualifications or with lower level qualifications to raise standards of farriery to meet the EFFA standard.
Membership of EFFA is open to all farriery associations in all European nations, whether they are members of the EU or not. Current member nations are: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, Holland, Spain, Iceland, and the Czech Republic.
Requests for further details or clarification should be sent to Miles Williamson-Noble, Certified Euro-Farrier Registrar at eurofarrier@btinternet.com.
Horses shod on the streets of London by Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Farriers
19th July 2008
On Saturday 19th July Cheapside was returned to its original purpose of being Britain's oldest high street by staging a contemporary medieval market. This event was staged as part of the London Festival of Architecture. Several Livery Companies demonstrated their crafts, including the Farriers, Painter Stainers, Masons, Bricklayers, Musicians and Blacksmiths.
The Farriers had a prime site at the West end of Cheapside and the sound of hammering could be heard back at St Paul’s. We were fortunate in being loaned two horses from the City Police’s Mounted Branch thanks to their official farrier, Liveryman Tom Burch.
The beautiful mare, Lulu, stood patiently whilst her shoes were replaced amidst the cacophony of sounds around her, and clearly her police training had accustomed her to all manner of disturbances. Her stable companion, Finn had been brought to keep her company, both horses being comfortable as long as the other one was there.
Liveryman Wayne Upton manned a stall with many examples of farriery equipment on it and spent a great deal of time explaining the craft to members of the public. Children were encouraged to ‘have a go’ at hammering horse shoes, wrapped up in over-large leather aprons under the watchful eye of Liveryman Les Armstrong.
Our Clerk, Liveryman Charlotte Clifford was there with her Apprentice, Rosie Clifford, and our Craft Secretary & Registrar, Captain David Goodall RN, was our lead salesman for lucky horse shoes which raised £154 for the Charitable Trust.
We were visited by the Lord Mayor, Alderman David Lewis, who also tried his hand at shoemaking ably assisted by our other Liverymen farriers, Richard Spence and Peter Cronin. Wayne, Robin, Peter and brought their apprentices with them who did a wonderful job making shoes.
This event provided a very good opportunity to explain and demonstrate the craft of Farriery to a large cross section of the general public---all very good publicity for our Company.
Farriery Discussed in House of Lords
3rd June 2008
The House of Lords debated the EU regulations on lack of qualifications of EU farriers. Follow this link to reach the Hansard transcript.
Second Building a Successful Business event held for recently qualified farriers
18th April 2008
A one-day forum – Building a Successful Business – aimed at newly qualified farriers was held at Total Foot Protection Ltd near Horsam, West Sussex on April 18th. This was the second of these events and proved a great success, with many wideranging topics covered by some excellent speakers. It is not often that apprentices would have the opportunity to hear from a variety of farriers and representatives from essential partner organisations and get the chance to chat over their own individual needs.
The farriers that spoke – Wayne Upton, AFCL, Simon Curtis FWCF HonAssocRCVS and Carl Bettison AWCF(Hons) – have wide-ranging business experience. They all still shoe but have expanded their interests in different ways and hearing of their experiences would be, quite literally, profitable. They spoke on how to go about building a client base (without upsetting local farriers); shoeing for profit; keeping clients happy; staying ahead of the competition; and taking on an apprentice.
Reg Howe, chairman of the WCF Craft Committee, is a horse owner. He gave the farriers his view of what makes a good farrier from the owner’s perspective. Others explained what made a good owner! The key, it seems, is communication – active communication.
The photographs show Alf Hall (left) demonstrating his shoeing rig which was imported from USA, and Wilf Ford DipWCF (below)outlining the benefits of being a member of NAFBAE.
The importance of record keeping in today’s farrier practice was covered by John Fligg. He described a computer software package aimed at farriers and the ways in which it could help record information in a versatile manner, allowing farriers to record everything from shoeing intervals, contact details, and notes to photographs and treatment protocols.
Veterinary surgeon, Philip Ryder-Davies, explained how his practice works closely with Roger Clark, FCWF (Hons), to mutual benefit. He also reiterated the importance of communication and respect for each other’s professions.
Marie Beale, of the specialist insurance company Eastlake and Beachell, discussed managing business risks. She described the essential cover that farriers must have, such as public liability cover, as well as optional cover for such items as legal costs. They also talked about the insurance benefit included in NAFBAE members’ subscription – personal accident cover - and reminded the deleagates that they offered a 12.5 per cent discount. Marie Beale suggested that although recently qualified, all farriers should look to the future as regards setting pension provision in place.
At the end of the session the Panel of experts was joined by Past Master Ray Greatorex, who gave useful advice on accountancy in the farriery business.
Similar events will be held in the future at regional locations, twice per year shortly after the Diploma Presentation Ceremonies. Diploma candidates will automatically be sent details, but if you are recently qualified - or have been in business for a while and would like to check on the latest thinking - and wish to attend, you are more than welcome.
Details of future events will be published under the CPD section of this website.
Review of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
27 July 2007
The House of Commons, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) has decided to undertake an inquiry into the need to replace the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. The Committee will consider whether the provisions of the 1966 Act are out of step with developments in the veterinary surgeon and related professions.
The Farriers Registration Council has been invited to provide comments to the Committee on these proposals. A meeting of the Veterinary Surgeons/Services Act Working Group with representatives from the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF), National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers (NAFBAE) and the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) is scheduled for 3 September 2007 in order to consider the proposals with a view to formulating a tri-partite response on behalf of all three organisations.
Registered Farriers may forward comments directly or via the FRC. Please download the full Press Release (PDF) for details or visit the Farriers Registration Council website.
Farriers Company Confers Highest Honour
24 April 2007
At a recent meeting of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, the Master, Mrs. Pauline Halliday, was pleased to confer an Honorary Fellowship on Professor Chris Pollitt in the presence of Past Master HRH The Princess Royal.
The Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour awarded by the Farriers Company and is only made to exceptional people who have made a very special and longstanding contribution to the art, craft and science of farriery. Professor Pollitt is one such exceptional person. A veterinary graduate of New Zealand, he has spent his working life in Australia where he founded the Laminitis Research Unit with the objective of discovering the biological mechanism that causes laminitis and to make this a preventable disease. With countless publications to his name, no one has done more to advance scientific understanding of the intricacies of the horse’s foot than Professor Pollitt.
Image, from left: Upper Warden, Colonel Richard Kinsella-Bevan; Past Master, HRH The Princess Royal; Professor Chris Pollitt; The Master, Mrs. Pauline Halliday; The Middle Warden, Mr. Carl Bettison and the Renter Warden, Mr. Reg Howe