Old-style trades not for the faint of heart
Success in traditional crafts requires hard work, dedication
Iain Ritchie is a master of one of the oldest trades in history.
A national horseshoeing champion, the 40-year-old farrier is getting ready to test his mettle at the World Champion Blacksmiths’ Competition at the Calgary Stampede in July.
Working in a traditional trade that sees technology take a back seat to hands-on artistry is something that people like Ritchie value highly. But as with many of those trades, the job demands physical strength, stamina and a willingness to be on the road for a good part of your working life.
His journey began in Scotland, where Ritchie had ponies when he was growing up. At age 16, he went into a 4-1/2-year apprenticeship before making his way to Canada.
Those who succeed in this demanding trade consider it to be a lifestyle, he says.
“It becomes part of you and encroaches on your family life. You have to realize that if you’re showing up between eight and five, you’re not going to make it in this industry.”
That isn’t a problem for Ritchie, since his wife is also a farrier.
If you’re good at your trade, there is always work. Peak season for Ritchie is May to September, when he spends long hours shoeing and trimming. Between house calls, he hones his competitive skills by making horseshoes at his workshop in Pitt Meadows, B.C.
Ritchie says he is constantly focused on getting better at his craft.
“A successful career takes a lot more than the day-to-day work. When the bread and butter stuff is done, you have to practise different techniques. It’s a long learning process. In fact, I’m still learning.”
Brandon Bliss, based in Port Hope, Ont., chose an equally established trade. Having taken four years of formal training, he is now a licensed stonemason with a specialization in heritage restoration work. It didn’t take long for him to realize that it’s not for everyone.
“I fell into stonemasonry by dumb luck. I needed a job and started with a stone crew along with two other guys. At the end of two weeks I was the only one left.”
Bliss says there are only three provinces where you can be a licensed stonemason/bricklayer: Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. The others only offer a bricklayer apprenticeship.
He particularly loves historical restoration work.
“That’s really my bread and butter. When I started out, I found that despite the hard work, I loved it.”
He says stonemasonry is a satisfying but physically demanding line of work.
“Some people have a romantic idea of what it is. But materials are heavy, the work is hard and the days are long. It’s not for everybody. I definitely keep my chiropractor and massage therapist on speed dial.”
For Johnny Sinke, woodworking was his passion from a very early age. Today the 23-year-old has his own business in Vineland, Ont., called J. Sinke Wood Interiors, where he builds custom furniture and pine cabinetry.
His love of working with his hands came naturally; his father and grandfather were custom homebuilders by trade.
“I worked with them a lot when I was younger. When I was in Grade 8 my dad built a workshop at home and it all grew from there.”
Getting to where he is today took four years of apprenticeship training and classes at Conestoga College in Kitchener. Last year, he competed in the World Skills competition, where he won a bronze medal.
What he loves about his field is that he gets to exercise his creative side.
“It’s not just working with my hands. I can get into the design process as well. Most of what I do is not something you can go to a store and buy.”
Like many people pursuing traditional trades, Bliss says he never wanted to sit indoors in front of a computer for a living. He’s also motivated by the chance to promote a time-honoured craft by teaching workshops. “The fundamentals of woodwork are being lost today. I’d really like to try to get that back again.”