Selected to celebrate the 50th anniversary of American Farriers Journal, these 50 influencers and innovators — chosen by AFJ readers and staff — represent a diverse group of individuals who have made profound impacts on and contributions to the horseshoeing industry.

Roy Bloom

Owner of Bloom Forge and a Hall of Famer, Roy Bloom is known as a tool designer, competition judge and sought-after clinician. He was named the American Farriers Association’s (AFA) Outstanding Educator in 2001 and was a longtime coach of the American Farriers Team.

Seamus Brady

Hall of Famer Seamus Brady served as the farrier for the Irish Equestrian Team, the United States Equestrian Team and the U.S. Olympic Team. He has shod more world champion hunter/jumpers in the U.S. and Europe than any other farrier during his lifetime. 

Curtis Burns 

Wellington, Fla., farrier Curtis Burns invented Polyflex shoes and has shod many Thoroughbred racers, including Mucho Macho Man, the 2014 Breeders’ Cup winner, and Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner. He is also a former member of the International Association of Professional Farriers’ board of directors. 

Doug Butler

The author of several books, including The Principles of Horseshoeing and Shoeing In Your Right Mind, Hall of Fame farrier Doug Butler has dedicated himself to educating farriers. He is the founder of the Farrier Focus Podcast and the Butler Professional Farrier School. 

Shayne Carter

A five-time member of the American Farriers Team (AFT) and a Hall of Fame member, Shayne Carter has won several national and international competitions including the Blacksmith World Championship, the AFA overall champion and captained a win for the AFT. 

Wes Champagne 

Hall of Famer Wes Champagne shod Accelerate, winner of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic, Fusachi Pegasus, the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby in glue-on shoes, Justify and American Pharoah, winners of the Triple Crown. He was also an early pioneer of glue-ons and invented the Blacksmith Buddy, a prosthetic horse leg for farriers and veterinarians. 

Burney Chapman

Responsible for reintroducing the heart-bar shoe, Hall of Famer Burney Chapman was an impactful innovator, researcher and educator. He contributed to the early development of glue-on shoes and was a popular speaker at hoof-care events worldwide. 

Scott Colson

Hall of Famer Scott Colson manufactured farrier products for more than 35 years. He is one of the founding members of the Farrier Industry Association, of which he served as president, a former vice president of the World Farrier Association and convention coordinator for the AFA. 

Billy Crothers

Welsh Hall of Famer Billy Crothers has won multiple international shoeing titles. He is also known for his skill as a toolmaker and contributions as a tutor for the Worshipful Company of Farriers and the National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths & Agricultural Engineers. 

Simon Curtis

Hall of Famer Simon Curtis, PhD, is a fourth-generation farrier who has lectured on farrier techniques in 19 countries on four continents and published several books on farriery. He is also the recipient of an Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the first time any farrier has received this. 

Bruce Daniels 

Past AFA president, secretary and board member, Bruce Daniels was a leader in the industry. The Hall of Famer was also a member of the AFT and a dedicated clinician, judge, mentor and author. 

David Duckett

Named for Hall of Fame farrier David Duckett, Duckett’s Dot is the point located ⅜ of an inch back from the tip of the frog and lies under the center of P3. He also termed the bridge, dimples and pillars to help coordinate external reference points with internal foot structures to achieve balance.

Bernard Duvernay 

Swiss Hall of Fame farrier Bernard Duvernay travels the world dealing with lameness concerns and has developed several new ways to treat navicular disease. He founded the Flying Anvil Foundation, which helps educate groups in developing countries about proper hoof care. 

Ronald Dyer 

Hall of Fame farrier Ron Dyer had more than 50 years of experience in the horseshoeing world and was a founding member of the Illinois Licensed Horseshoeing Association. His willingness to share his knowledge with others meant he’s remembered as a man who “opened the eyes of many horseshoers.” 

David Farley

A well-known clinician and a founding board member of the International Association of Professional Farriers, Hall of Fame farrier Dave Farley shoes some of the finest show horses in the world. He conducts clinics throughout North America, makes educational videos through Farrier Product Distribution and serves on the American Farriers Journal editorial advisory board. 

Jim & Allen Ferrie

Hall of Famers Jim and Allen Ferrie owned and operated J&A Ferrie, an efficient multi-farrier practice and supply business from 1982-2018. Allen won an individual blacksmithing title at Stoneleigh International twice and was a member of the World Winning Team four times. Jim was a member of the Scottish Farrier team 14 times, placed in the Top 10 at Calgary 10 times and was a judge in 1998. 

Gunner Gatski

Hall of Famer Gunner Gatski developed the Gunner hammer, bent anvil, cams, ergonomic tool handles and forge design. He was an early and talented member of the AFT. As a judge, he was known for his challenging, quality feedback. Fellow Hall of Famer Grant Moon called him a “terrific ambassador for the farrier industry.” 

Lee Green

Owner of The Shoein’ Shop in Yucaipa, Calif., and Hall of Famer Lee Green shod Olympic horses, was a contest judge and was the World Champion mule shoer for 14 years at Mule Days in California. 

David Gulley 

Hall of Famer David Gulley was a participant in the British Army farrier program and active in the British apprentice and certification programs. He also was a member of the winning English team four times at international competitions. 

Allie Hayes 

The first woman to be voted into the Hall of Fame, Allie Hayes owned Horse Science, which provides freeze-dried hoof specimens for colleges, universities, farriers and veterinarians. She was named Outstanding Educator by the AFA in 2003. 

Henry Heymering

Hall of Famer Henry Heymering was the founder of American Farriers Journal and author of an extensive historical bibliography of shoeing books titled On The Horse’s Foot. He helped found the Guild of Professional Farriers and was one of the earliest members of the AFA.  

Donald Jones

Owner of NC Tool Co., Donald Jones is a skilled toolmaker and tool-handling educator who pioneered better anvils. The Hall of Famer was a charter member of the North Carolina Horseshoers Association and ran a farrier school from 1976-1984. 

Jim Keith

Two-time AFA Educator of the Year and Hall of Fame member Jim Keith started Tucumcari Farrier Technologies in 1993. He is known for manufacturing quality tools, outstanding ornamental blacksmithing, as well as artistic drawing. 

Steve Kraus

Shoeing horses since 1971, Hall of Fame member Steve Kraus has been the head of farrier services at Cornell University since 2010. He became senior lecturer of large animal surgery in 2017, the highest farrier teaching position in the United States. In the 1970s, Kraus joined Delta Mustad as a farrier consultant, testing and developing new shoeing and hoof-care products. 

Jim Linzy

Known for his understanding of anatomy, gait flight patterns and basic shoeing, Hall of Famer Jim Linzy had a tremendous impact on farriers. One of his favorite sayings was, “There is no such thing as corrective horseshoeing, just correct horseshoeing.” 

Randy Luikart 

A past president of the AFA, Hall of Fame farrier Randy Luikart served as a member and coach of the AFT. He represented farriers with the American Horse Council, American Association of Equine Practitioners and by serving on United States Department of Agriculture committees looking at shoeing concerns and equine welfare. 

Ken Mankel 

Known around the world in the farrier and blacksmithing industries as one of the early developers of the propane forge, Hall of Famer Ken Mankel was also one of the original members of the Michigan Horseshoers Association. He and his wife operated the Mankel Blacksmith Shop, manufacturing forges and other farrier equipment. 

Dennis Manning

Hall of Fame farrier Dennis Manning was among AFA members who pushed for certification in 1980 and was later a long-time member of the certification committee. He was a member on the AFT four times and was one of the few Americans who judged the Stoneleigh competition. 

Bob Marshall 

Hall of Fame member Bob Marshall is the former captain and coach of several North American horseshoeing teams and winner of many international forging and shoeing titles, including being named the World Forging Champion and World Champion Blacksmith. 

Edward Martin

Known as one of the world’s best draft horseshoers, Hall of Famer Edward Martin was in demand worldwide as a contest judge and clinician. He also served as the vice president of the World Farrier Association. 

Myron McLane

American Farriers Team member and Hall of Famer Myron McLane served as the long-time chairman of the AFA Rules Committee and organized the annual contests at the AFA convention. In addition to numerous AFA leadership roles, he encouraged farriers to develop excellent working relationships with veterinarians.  

Bill Miller

A charter member of the AFA, Hall of Famer Bill Miller was an influential teacher and clinician. He was also the head of the shoeing program at South Puget Sound Community College in Washington. During the 1984 AFA fundraising auction, Miller auctioned off his mustache for $1,005. 

Grant Moon

Fourth-generation farrier and Hall of Fame member Grant Moon travels the world teaching clinics and competing internationally and is often considered one of the best blacksmiths in the world. He is a six-time World Championship Blacksmith.  

Bob Peacock

Founder of Farrier Science Clinic and Hall of Fame member Bob Peacock developed and marketed Fungidye and the equine supplement Nu-foot and invented the wide-web aluminum shoe. He was awarded the AFA Edward Martin Humanitarian Award in 1995 and was a frequent speaker at farrier and horse-owner events. 

Chris Pollitt 

Author of several reference books on the equine foot including, The Color Atlas of the Horse’s Foot and The Illustrated Horse’s Foot, Hall of Famer Chris Pollitt was the founder of the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit at the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Science. 

Jim Poor

Texas farrier Jim Poor was the first American to win the International Competition in Stoneleigh, England, was a five-time AFA team member and was invited by the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCB) to be a Stoneleigh judge. 

Derek Poupard 

South African farrier Derek Poupard is the owner and inventor of 3D HoofCare and HoofCast that mimics the way the sole hits the ground. He also started a barefoot program in Dubai on racehorses with compromised feet that resulted in multiple Derby, Breeders’ Cup and Classic Grade 1 wins, including the 2021 Horse of the Year. 

Ric Redden

Hall of famer Dr. Ric Redden founded the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, the International Equine Podiatry Center and owns Nanric, a store dedicated to the therapeutic products Redden uses. Redden has helped develop the Lily Pad, the Modified Ultimate Wedge and Dalric glue-ons.

Dwight Sanders

Hall of Fame member Dwight Sanders was among the first farriers to make sliding plates for reiners and then designed and manufactured them for the farrier industry. He was the official farrier at many of reining’s largest and most prestigious events. He also received the National Reining Horse Association’s Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Bob Schantz

A talented blacksmith and history buff, Hall of Famer Bob Schantz established Spanish Lake Blacksmith Shop in a century-old blacksmith shop. In the 1980s, he developed and patented an atmospheric propane forge and hosted many clinics at his shop. 

Scott Simpson

Author of Identification, Analysis and Correction of Gait Faults in Horses and The Mechanics of Horseshoeing Simplified, Hall of Fame member Scott Simpson was a veteran shoer, educator and clinician. He was the owner of the Northwest School of Horseshoeing and a former president of the AFA. 

Bob Skradzio Sr.

An AFA board member and three-time AFT competitor, Hall of Fame farrier Bob Skradzio hosted numerous clinics and shod horses for more than 60 years. He emphasized the importance of not over-complicating a shoeing job and to enhance the horse’s gait, not work against it. 

Walt Taylor

The founding father and first president of the American Farrier’s Association, Hall of Famer Walt Taylor was also instrumental in forming the World Farriers Association in 1984 and served as its first president. He has shod horses and judged competitions across the world. 

Craig Trnka

Hall of Famer Craig Trnka has operated with a mission of education through competition for more than 30 years with an emphasis on precision and ownership in shoeing practices. He founded the World Champion Blacksmiths and served as president of the AFA.  

Eddie Watson

Hall of Fame member Eddie Watson gained recognition for his many clinics, with the topic often being the making and application of the egg-bar and heart-bar shoe. He was a mentor and educator to many. 

Danny Ward

Owner of the Eastern School of Farriery, Hall of Fame farrier Danny Ward was an educator and specialist in corrective shoeing. He competed for the AFT and served as coach for 4 years. He served as a judge at the annual Stoneleigh competition, becoming only the second American to do so at the time. He was named 1988 AFA Clinician of the Year. 

Renate Weller 

Veterinary Hall of Famer Renate Weller is the veterinary medicine dean at the University of Calgary. Before that, she helped create the Royal Veterinary College of London’s graduate diploma in equine locomotor research and created a computer model for predicting tendon strains. 

Mike Wildenstein

Hall of Famer Mike Wildenstein is one of a handful of people in the world who have passed the Worshipful Company of Farriers Fellowship examination with Honors. He was also the adjunct associate professor of Farrier Medicine and Surgery in the Department of Clinical Sciences of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University.

David Willis

Former owner of Valley Farrier Supply, Hall of Famer David Willis gained notoriety for his quality shoeing work and developing and manufacturing a wide variety of farrier tools and forges, including the “Hot Box.” He started the Oregon Farriers Association. 

David Wilson 

Hall of Famer David Wilson was a sixth-generation farrier and an active competitor who won many shoeing and forging competitions, including winning the blacksmith and forging world titles with the World Championship Blacksmiths (WCB). He judged twice at the WCB and gave clinics around the world.