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EUROSKILLS 2010
2009
2008

2008 - More Medals at Euroskills

This year much was made of Team GB’s medal haul during the Beijing Olympics. However, our UK farriery apprentices have been every bit as successful at the first Euroskills competition. Team manager, David Gulley, picks up the story.
The concept began in the summer of 2007, when Miles Williamson-Noble of the FRC asked me to sit on the EuroSkills 2008 committee, and to attend a meeting in Ede, Holland. The competitions were to be held in Rotterdam, Holland, in September 2008. The other members of the committee were Denis Leviellard, France, and Chris Oomen of The Netherlands. The chairman was Adriaan van Egmand. We discussed the format of the 2008 Euroskills Farriery Competition - the size of area, the gas fires, and all the other factors that make up a farriery competition.
My name was put forward as an appropriate team manager and I was invited to select two apprentices to represent the UK. I had to do a presentation for the committee to prove that I was capable of the task!
I decided to pick the team from the results at competitions, predominantly the Royal Show and the Home International. The two young men who shone through were Ben Casserly and Ricky Hilton. Ben is apprenticed to his father Andrew, while Ricky is one of Jim Blurton’s apprentices. Euroskills took place in the middle of September, so practising was essential.
UKSkills provided working uniforms for the team, sponsored by Snickers Workwear, as well as suits, shirts and shoes for more formal occasions. NAFBAE generously sponsored the team with three polo shirts each. A send off reception in London on September 15 was followed by a flight to Rotterdam from London City Airport.
The competitions were held at a large exhibition Centre in Rotterdam known as Ahoy.
The competitors stayed on a campus nearby and the officials were accommodated in hotels a metro ride away. There were seven countries taking part in the farriery section, however, the judges decided that Turkey and Poland should not compete as their skills were not up to standard. There were five judges, of which I was one.
On Day 1, the competitions consisted of shoemaking plus a surprise shoe from one of the judges. On the first day there was also an Eagle Eye Competition. On Day 2, the competitors had to shoe two feet (live shoeing), while on the final day they shod a dead foot and made a specimen shoe.
Each day a gold medal was awarded for the best shoes in each class. The only gold medal not won by the UK Farriery Team was the Eagle Eye, in which we came second to Switzerland.
Medal haul
Ricky Hilton won two gold medals in the shoemaking, as well as one gold in each of the following classes – live shoeing, dead foot shoeing, best overall individual and, finally, best team overall – a total of six golds.
Ben Casserly won gold medals for best specimen in the dead foot shoeing, for the best team overall and silver for best overall individual.
In all the UK Farriery Team had a very successful competition proving to Europe the quality of our apprentice training. The last evening was the presentation and closing ceremony. There was a lot of flag waving and cheering by all the teams, followed by a buffet supper and a disco.
Each of us would like to thank those who were involved in the organisation of Euroskills 2008. It is an experience Ben and Ricky will never forget. So all you apprentices, get practising for Euroskills 2010.

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