It’s been a full decade since the annual Mail-In Forging Exercise was established to help you expand your shoe-building skills. Being part of this highly educational event is a valuable way to gain additional forging experience while having your mail-in efforts critiqued by a team of veteran judges without ever leaving home.

Besides refining your forging skills, you’ll earn a variety of valuable farrier products valued at $119.20 for just being part of the 30th World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition being held in early July during the Calgary Stampede. Other valuable products will be distributed among the 25 top scoring farriers.

If this year’s mail-in forging exercise draws 50 participants, a total of $18,673.50 of hoof-care products will be distributed.

Over the past 10 years, more than 500 shoers from around the world have participated in this exceptional learning experience. They’ve also shared more than $200,000 in valuable prizes donated by leading industry suppliers.

However, the real value of the Mail-In Forging Exercise lies in your chance to forge a shoe that will be evaluated by the Calgary judges.

Make Just 1 Or 30 Saddlebred Shoes

To be part of this year’s Mail–In Forging Exercise, all you have to do is forge the specified Saddlebred shoe and make sure your best effort arrives in Calgary prior to the June 15, 2009, deadline. Co-sponsoring this valuable forging learning experience are the Calgary Stampede’s World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition and American Farriers Journal.

For details on forging the Saddlebred shoe, check out the January/February…