Farriers to put their best shoe forward
MBOMBELA - One must love the heat, sweating, swinging a hammer that has the kick of a mule, and must have an absolute eye for detail.
These are the qualities needed to be a successful and enthusiastic farrier.
Sean Eggersglusz, a local horse lover and the South African farrier team captain, and his three team members are hitting the training sessions in preparation to compete in the World Clydesdale Show Shoeing and Shoemaking Championships.
The championship will be held from
October 20 to 23 in Scotland.
The South African team that will show off their skills in the championship are Eggersglusz, Trent Hooper, Francois Smit (both from Gauteng) and Jacques Kruger from Mooirivier in KwaZulu-Natal.
The team recently held a workshop and training session at the Pondarosa Ranch on the outskirts of the city.
“It was a very constructive weekend for the team, and we experienced true camaraderie and sportsmanship,” said Eggersglusz.
“The championship is a ‘heavy horse event’ and is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the best of what we have to offer.”
It all started for the South African farriers when they received an invitation to compete in the world championship.
Earlier this year, the farriers took part in a selection contest during which the South African team were selected.
According to Eggersglusz, horse shoeing dates back about 3 000 years ago, when the trade was born out of necessity.
“At the time, wars were fought on horseback and to have the strongest army, these horses had to be battle-ready. This included proper protection of the hooves so they could manage the rough terrain on which battles were fought. This is when the blacksmith trade at the time had to develop horseshoes as protection.”
Eggersglusz’s interest in horses came just after matric in 1990 when he had to sit at home for six months waiting for that July to report for national service.
“I drove past the pony club and decided this was what I was going to do, to learn to ride a horse.”
When he eventually reported for national service, he was immediately transferred to the equestrian unit of the then South African Defence Force where he was trained to qualify as a farrier. “This is now 31 years later, and the rest is history,” he said.
To compete in the world championship, it is expected from the team not only to shoe a horse, but they must design, make the shoe and fit it on a horse. “The shoemaking skills are tested to the limit. As a team we get one horse to shoe. We work in teams of two. No two horse’s hooves are the same size.
“Therefore, each two-man team must measure the hooves, work out who much steel is needed to make one, make the shoe, fit it and ensure it fits perfectly. All this must be done within two and a half hours.”
The next training session the team will have will be during the Mpumalanga Show in August.