For nearly 10 years at the International Hoof-Care Summit, VICTORY has sponsored a challenge with the Summit Mail-In Forging Exercise. For the 2023 Summit, judge Craig Trnka selected a diamond-toe, reverse wedge hind shoe. Besides testing forging skills, the Hall of Famer and certified journeyman farrier wanted something that would have a practical use in the field with some horses

“This is a good solution for an older horse whose fetlock has dropped behind,” says Trnka. “It creates some relief for horses afflicted with this. For example, I’m working on an older gelding that is ridden competitively, but his fetlocks are starting to drop. This shoe has helped this horse. It is one of my favorite shoes because of the forging elements and its practicality.”

Dozens of farriers took up this challenge, allowed to ship the shoe into the American Farriers Journal office or bring their entry to the International Hoof-Care Summit. Among these entries a familiar name to forging competitions came out on top: Steven Beane.

Ranking the Top 3

The Yarm, England, farrier is a well-known competitor, contest judge and clinician. Beane, who holds a Fellowship in the Worshipful Company of Farriers, is a five-time British National Champion, four-time European Champion and a five-time winner of the Calgary Stampede’s World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition. 

Ranking the top three, Beane was followed…