The World Championship Blacksmiths awarded its 2020 title to New Mexico farrier, Chris Madrid last month, but it’s worth recalling a tribute from the season.

This story begins about 8 years ago when Waxhaw, N.C., farrier Dillon Crane was a young farrier shoeing with his father Jeff. At 12 years old, he entered a contest in Georgia. Although he remembers some ups and downs of the competition, his fondest memory was a gift from a Hall of Fame farrier. To encourage Crane to continue, Drummond, Wis., farrier Roy Bloom passed along a shoe he made — a straight bar with a diamond pattern on the bar. Crane still hangs the shoe in his home today.

Each year at the WCB’s Wisconsin contest, Bloom rounds up shoes for judging. After a go that featured a mushroom trotter — a favorite for Bloom to challenge contestants — he took notice of one of the collected shoes. He placed it in front of the judge, Fairhope, Ala., farrier Daniel Jones, predicting that this would be the top mushroom trotter shoe in the category. Bloom’s bold prediction held true. That winning shoe was made by Dillon Crane.

After judging, it wasn’t long before Bloom had the shoe back in his hand. Crane signed the shoe and gave it to Bloom to keep.

“I knew he’s always liked this shoe in contests,” Crane notes. “Every time I see him, I talk with Roy and he’s helped me over the years. He gave me a shoe 8 years ago, so I’m proud I could give him one back.”