Nigel Brown wins National Farrier Championships

Abergavenny Farrier Nigel Brown has this weekend become one of an elite group of farriers who have won the coveted UK National Championships.

The National Championships for Farriers has traditionally been held at The Forge, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire as part of the Royal Show farriery and blacksmith competitions. Since the show’s demise the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association has sought a new host in order to provide it with the public stage it deserves and so have decided that the National Championships will move around the ‘Royal’ shows in rotation, this year held at the Royal Bath & West Show on Saturday 1st June.

24 farriers from across the UK took part in a furious 75 minutes of shoeing and shoemaking. Competitors had to make, fit and nail on a three quarter fullered fore or hind shoe in addition to making two specimen shoes; one heavy horse hind shoe with calkins and one deep seated fullered bar shoe. Time in the class was exceptionally tight and a few competitors failed to finish.

The competition was judged this year by two previous winners of the World Championships, Grant Moon and Jim Blurton, who both remarked that the standard of work was exceptionally high.

The win in the National Championships completed an extremely successful week for Nigel who, in addition to winning the Worshipful Company of Farriers Best Shod Horse Award with client Gemma Hopkins Mounted Games Pony, also won Reserve Champion at the Bath & West Show.

“I don’t think it has sunk it yet. To win the National Championships is a dream come true” Nigel said. “I always enjoy the Bath & West competition and Reserve Champion was great. To win the National Championships was absolutely amazing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Nigel Brown

Nigel Brown is an Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers and runs a professional farriery business in Abergavenny, South Wales. He is an Approved Training Farrier, currently employing one apprentice. A member of the Welsh International Farriery Team Nigel participates in farriery competitions throughout the UK and abroad as part of his Continuing Professional Development.

www.nrbrownfarriers.co.uk