moreNAFBAE

NAFBAE Head Office
The Head Office of the Association is currently open five days a week 9am - 5pm and staffed by the National Administrator, Amanda Hill. The National Administrator along with the Executice Committee are willing to discuss any enquires/questions that arrive at Head Office. They are here to help the membership in any way they can.

Send an email or telephone NAFBAE 024 7669 6595.

NAFBAE Rules of the Association - Last Revised May 2008
Download PDF

 

Become a Member of NAFBAE -
Download a Membership form here or go to the Membership Form Page

NAFBAE NEWS AND EVENTS

News and events from NAFBAE Head Office

 

NAFBAE is the trade association for farriers, blacksmiths and agricultural engineers, working tirelessly for its members to support them in their craft. Whether trainee, apprentice, sole-trader or employer, NAFBAE helps protect the interests of the craft whilst demanding the highest standards. It does this by organising national and regional competitions, running educational and training courses as well as working closely with other industry bodies such as the WCF, WCB, the FRC and the FTA.

9 May 2010 - NAFBAE AGM

The 106th AGM of NAFBAE on May 8, saw the Association’s members agree to a crisper trading name – the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association (BFBA). President Craig D’Arcy said that it had been a tough year financially, but that with its new name and a hardworking Executive Committee – Gary Burton, Chris Linssner, Cliff Barnes and Huw Dyer – he felt there was lots to be positive about.

Craig said that after some years of uncertainty about the future of the Forge, it seems that the Association’s home is safe for the foreseeable future. He also reported that EC was optimistic about its next event, the National Farriery Championships, which will be held from July 8 to 11 as part of the Royal Festival of the Horse, when the Forge will find itself – literally – right in the middle of the event.

One of BFBA’s chief roles is a representative one. It represents its members’ interests on a range of committees and organisations including the Farriers Registration Council, the European Federation of Farrier Associations, Lantra, the CPD steering group, the British Equine Veterinary Assocation/NAFBAE joint committee, and the Training Advisory Committee, among others.

If any farrier wishes to join the Executive Committee, there are vacancies and they should contact Amanda Hill at the Forge, telephone 024 7669 6595.

8 May 2010 - New Name for NAFBAE - the British Farriers and Blacksmiths Association (BFBA)

Full details available shortly and in Forge Magazine June 2010.

Farriery Focus 2010 - May 8th

STOP PRESS NEWS !!!

'Mustad Champion of Champions Competition'
May 8th 2010, Hosted by NAFBAE
An invitation only event open to current and former World Champions.
Winner's Prize - Trophy & £5000 Charitable Donation in his name to his
nominated Charity.
All other competitors - £250.00 Charitable Donation in their name to their
nominated Charity.
One class - shoe on foot plus a specimen shoe in 70 minutes.
Send an email or telephone NAFBAE 024 7669 6595.

 

Organised by NAFBAE this is a hands-on day for farriers, designed to appeal to the working farrier and apprentice. With a mixture of presentations, live demonstrations and workshops.
Featuring, amongst others, Grant Moon, Steven Beane, Huw Dyer and Professor John Reilly.
Full details and registration facilities will be available shortly on this website.
For sponsorship opportunities contact Forge Magazine on 01332 843107 or email quoting ref FF10: sales@forgemagazine.co.uk

 

9th May 2009 - NAFBAE AGM

Congratulations to Craig D'Arcy - the new NAFBAE President.
Congratulations to Gary Burton - Vice President

Cliff Barnes, Gary Burton, Richard Hurcomb, Craig D'Arcy and Wilf Ford

A year for cautious optimism
Amid news that this year’s Royal Show will be the last, RASE also announced its plans for the showground were halted for the time being. At last year’s AGM, then NAFBAE President, Richard Hurcomb, had announced that NAFBAE would have to move from its home at Stoneleigh Park, but a year on – and at this year’s AGM on May 9 – he reported that it appeared that the decision had been put on hold by the Royal Agricultural Society of England. ‘Watch this space’ (literally), was about all the officer team could say about RASE’s u-turn, except to stress that the team would continue to do its best for the future of the Association. The current situation may well change, the President said, but this announcement gave a little more breathing space to consider what was best for NAFBAE, and its administrator, Amanda Hill.
Alongside thanks to his Executive Committee – Gary Burton, Cliff Barnes, Huw Dyer, Craig D’Arcy and Wilf Ford – the President also Amanda and the branches that had worked ‘tirelessly’ to recruit new members, and had done so with remarkable success.
The President also announced that this year’s International Team Horseshoeing Competition was being brought home to Stoneleigh at the end of August. More about this decision, and the very sensible reasons behind it, can be found on page 16.
The Association’s finances
Peter Mason, NAFBAE’s accountant, attended the meeting to discuss the financial health of the Association. In his summary of income and expenditure he asked the members to note that the income had increased thanks to the extra members the Association had recruited. However, NAFBAE had also been hit by three major areas of expenditure that had left the Association with a £19,500 deficit. The extra costs, he said, had resulted from (a) updating the computer database that had been installed two years previously; (b) the CPD scheme, to which NAFBAE was committed (and equally shared costs with the Worshipful Company of Farriers [WCF] and the Farriers Registration Council [FRC]); and (c) costs relating to EFFA that had been higher than expected.
The President explained to the meeting that the Association had been looking to the future in investing in the CPD programme, which the EC felt was essential for NAFBAE to be involved in. As Treasurer, Cliff Barnes, agreed that the computer costs had come as something of a surprise, but confirmed that these would be capped in future as the Association had put a maintenance contract in place, and that next year it was expected that the computer costs would be less than £4000.
CPD and database
The EC confirmed that the database held the details of every registered farrier under the Certified EuroFarrier scheme, and this offered the benefit of allowing NAFBAE to direct mail non-members to encourage them to take up membership. The database was also compatible with the FRC database, making data transfer easier, and the Association’s accounts could be handled by the computer system along with the direct debits system.
From the floor, Cecil Swan (Gloucester District) suggested that CPD was not being recorded as the recording card was easily lost. He asked that CPD providers forward names of event participants so that the FTA could record points and send out details of points accrued. The President confirmed that steps were already being taken to provide farriers with the opportunity to record their own CPD points online. There would, of course, be an element of trust within this type of system.
Greetings from the USA
Certified Journeyman Farrier, Vernon Powell, visiting from the USA, brought greetings from the American Farriers Association. He described how he had first visited the UK under the cultural exchange programme and was delighted to announce that the AFA was planning to extend the programme to send established farriers (who were unable to take three months off to visit the UK under the scheme) to the UK for two to four week trips during the winter months. Huw Dyer is managing the cultural exchange and can supply further details.
Resumes
The President then asked various members of the EC to present their resumes. He explained that Wilf Ford was standing for formal election to the EC having been co-opted on during the year. Gary Burton was standing for election to the role of Vice-President. Craig D’Arcy was for election to the EC and also NAFBAE President. Chris Linssner stood down as Members Auditor to stand for election to the EC (to serve as Joint Treasurer with Cliff Barnes) and Sergio Muelle (chairman of Eastern Counties) stood as Members Auditor.
Eastlake and Beachell
John Howe gave his annual address the to AGM. He described a ‘fairly good year’ in terms of claims against policies. His company continued to strive to keep the schemes competitive, to develop new business and to look after its policy holders. He felt that he and his staff had a good relationship with farriers and was keen to continue in the same way.
Date and time of next meeting
The next AGM will be held on May 8, 2010, at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

 

The branch trophy is awarded annually to the branch that has recruited the most new members. This year, the winner was Yorkshire; in second place was Wales and Borders, and equal third were Eastern Counties and Leicester. Vernon Powell collects the cup for Yorkshire.

 

20 April 2009 - BREAKING NEWS - Bold decision for International Farriery Competition

With ongoing concerns about the current economic climate, the organisers of the International Team Horseshoeing Competition today took the bold step of delaying the event’s expansion.
The National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers (NAFBAE) this year had planned to take the event, to be held on 27-30 August 2009, to Aintree Equestrian Centre near Liverpool. However, the uncertainty presented by the current economic environment has caused the Association to take a more cautious approach. It will now be held at its existing venue, the Association’s Headquarters, The Forge, at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
Commenting on the change of plan, President of the Association, Richard Hurcomb, said, “Whilst I am disappointed that we have had to postpone our plans to develop the ‘International’, I believe that to continue to try and do so in the present economic climate will put unnecessary pressure on our supporters and the organising team.
“The move to Aintree was intended to give us world class facilities and room to grow a complimentary equine foot health event with the competition at the core. It is now absolutely clear that this is just not the right time to do it.”
This year’s event will be held at Stoneleigh Park during the Stoneleigh Park Country Festival. The decision on the venue for next year’s event has yet to be made.
Now in its 30th year, the three day competition attracts the top farriers from around the world. Working in teams of four, each farrier has to make series of different horse shoes from straight bar stock.
As well as making these ‘specimen shoes’, the competitors are also required to prepare and shoe horses’ feet as part of the competition, which is also judged. As with the shoemaking, this is all against the clock.
Specimen Shoes are now available.

Know foot know horse. - 20% discount for NAFBAE Members
This website aims to provide clear information in the form of short movie downloads covering everything farriery related. The downloads available provide information for apprentices, newly qualified farriers, experienced farriers, vets and horse owners.
Know foot know horse brings farrier education in to the twenty first century using innovative filming and editing techniques to produce quality movies demonstrated by top farriers. These movies are downloable via the website knowfootknowhorse.com and are also on sale in DVD form. The movie library is constantly developing, and the site is interactive to allow members to request movies on subjects that are farrier related. This website is a great teaching aid to pre-farriers, apprentice farriers, farriers, veterinary surgeons and horse owners. All NAFBAE members qualify for 20% discount on the premium membership. To obtain your discount quote code (nafb09) when registering. Visit knowfootknowhorse.com and begin to expand your knowledge!
NAFBAE members are entitled to a 20% discount.
Visit their website or tel: 01536 761310.