Anvil Brand supply store offered a clinic in Lexington, Ill., drawing about 50 attendees. The clinic featured forging demos by clinicians and 2014 American Farriers Team members, Ben Mangan, CJF, and Robbie Mederos, CJF FE. 

In the morning of the clinic, Mangan and Mederos demonstrated how to forge several different shoes, allowing the attendees to ask questions and letting their needs and questions guide what the clinicians demonstrated. They began the event by demonstrating  a basic fullered shoe with a toe clip.

Mangan and Mederos each crafted their own shoe, taking the audience through, step by step on how to craft a fullered shoe. They offered many tips along the way. 

Mederos also demonstrated for attendees how to build a deep seated bar shoe while Mangan demonstrated how to make heel caulks. 

When you finish creating a shoe at home in your forge for practice, the clinicians, who are both active competitors, suggest taking a white marker and judging your shoe as the judges would in a competition. Note what you did right, they said, but also take note of what you didn’t so you have something to focus on the next time you’re in the forge. 

In the afternoon of the clinic, the clinicians performed a live shoeing, once again welcoming questions from the audience.

Representatives were present from Grand Circuit,  Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center, GE Forge, R.A.T.E. Hoof Packing and Farrier Product Distribution. Each had a stand where farriers could ask questions about various products. 

Anvil Brand holds a summer and winter supply shop every year.