Farriers compete in age-old craft in Gisborne

Nineteen farriers from the North Island took part in a Central Districts competition, among them Samuel Hawthorne, of Gisborne.

Farriers from throughout the North Island took part in the New Zealand Farriers Association Central Districts P3 Farrier Supplies competition at Showgrounds Park in Gisborne last weekend.

Nineteen were involved in what was described as a busy and fun weekend.

The classes covered speed shoemaking, horse shoeing and a two-man blacksmithing event where they made tongs from plain steel.

It was the first shoeing competition held in Gisborne since the 1990s, when Dick Parsons last ran one at the old Riding for the Disabled hill site in Mangapapa.

NZ Farriers Association president John Hawthorne organised the competition.

“We hope to make it an annual event going forward.”

Long-time local farrier Dick Parsons (left) and New Zealand Farriers Association president John Hawthorne chew the fat at the competition.

The competition was judged by Rory Macdonald, who is from Gisborne and now based in Cambridge, and stewarded by Kim Hughes, also a Cambridge farrier.

“It was great to see so many farriers coming together to practise this age-old craft,” Hawthorne said.

Ryan Harris-Hayes, of the Bay of Plenty, getting down to the nitty-gritty of shoeing a horse during the competition.

“Great thanks goes out to P3 Farrier Supplies, the Poverty Bay A&P Association, the Gisborne RDA, Gas & Gear, Phill Law Panelbeating & Engineering, LeaderBrand and our generous local community for helping us run this competition.”