An American Farrier’s Association (AFA) certification exam and 3 days of lectures and competition marked the 30th anniversary of the Northern California Classic, the Western States Farriers Association’s (WSFA) longest running event. With a tradition of providing certification, continuing education and competition to farriers in the western United States, Shelee Lyon, secretary of the WSFA and co-organizer of the event, of Ramona, Calif., says, “We like to treat the event like a mini convention and we try to gear it more toward education than just competition.”

The Michigan Horseshoers Association (MHA) recently held its 46th annual clinic and contest in East Lansing, Mich. Sixty farriers from as far south as Texas and as far north as Canada came to attend and compete in the event. From Jan. 8-10, attendees participated in lectures and demos by Tom Willoughby of Crown Point, Ind.; Andy Canoy of Grand Blanc, Mich.; Laura Pylman of Laingsburg, Mich.; and Roy Bloom of Drummund, Wis., who was also the judge for several forging competitions held at the event.