Two instructional articles, a cover photo and an in-depth editorial package covering the 35th anniversary of American Farriers Journal magazine captured top awards in the annual American Horse Publications annual competition. From among nearly 300 equine publications headquartered in North American, 118 members entered 838 entries in this year’s competition. 

Capturing first place honors in the instructional single article category was, “The Intricacies And Dangers Of Puncture Wounds” that appeared in the January/February 2010 issue of AFJ. John Bradshaw, a writer and second-generation farrier from Lubbock, Texas, wrote the article that dealt with why it pays to be patient and not immediately pull a nail out of a hoof.

The judges stated that this article proves that an instructional feature doesn’t have to be dull and dry and can be equally entertaining and informational.

Taking second place honors in the same category was “Shedding Light On Balance” from the July/August 2010 issue. Written by AFJ Managing Editor Pat Tearney, the article dealt with the effective use of laser levels in helping farriers sharpen their skills in regard to balancing the hoof.

The judges noted that clean writing and good topic selection set this article apart from the other entries. They complimented Tearney on emphasizing key points of information and smartly balancing the use of quotes with the narrative from the farrier who was using this new technique.

Maine photographer and regular AFJ contributor Dusty Perin snapped the laser level photos for this article.

The cover for the April 2010 issue…