STEVEN BEANE IS WORLD CHAMPION BLACKSMITH FOR THE FOURTH TIME

Steven Beane is World Championship Blacksmith for the fourth time in a row having won at the Calgary Stampede’s 33rd annual world championship competition at the beginning of July. Steven is only the third man to claim four straight crowns at the WCBC, known globally as the ‘Olympics of blacksmithing’.

‘When you’re at the top, everyone’s pushing to get there, and everyone’s pushing you,’ Steven said after the competition.

‘especially this year, with four former world champions in the top 10 – a fantastic competition. It probably won’t sink in for a while. I need to get back, get home, spend some time with my family; they haven’t seen a lot of me for a while.’

As winner of the 33rd annual WCBC, presented by Mustad, Beane brought home a $10,000 cheque, a limited-edition bronze trophy, a hand-tooled Stampede buckle, and a champion’s jacket, among other prizes.

Grant Moon of Wales finished second, followed by third-place David Varini of Scotland, with fellow Scotsman

Derek Gardner in fourth, and France’s Yoann Policard in fifth.

Grant Moon is the only competitor to have won the Calgary title five straight times, from 1988 through to 1992. Canada’s Bob Marshall won the first four editions of the WCBC, from 1980 through 1983. Grant, who returned to the competitive blacksmith arena in 2008 after a decade-long absence, says that he is impressed with Steven’s focus: ‘It’s extremely difficult to win this four times in a row. Steven’s almost certainly one of the best competitors that’s ever been,’ says Grant, who has won the WCBC a total of six times.

In all, 72 competitors from 14 countries, including England, Denmark, New Zealand, Scotland, Australia, Northern Ireland, Norway, France, Wales, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, the United States and Canada – went at it ‘hammer and anvil’ through four intense days of competition under the Big Top, with more than $50,000 in cash and prizes at stake.

The final five were put through their paces all weekend under a sweltering Big Top, collecting points in 10 different classes including Sunday’s semifinal and final on July 8. Next year, no doubt Steven will be looking to match Grant Moon’s five consecutive titles.

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