Gene Lieser earned the top score in the 2006 Calgary Mail-in Forging Exercise, the second time he has won the honor in the 7-year history of the event. The judges awarded Lieser top honors for his forging of the toe cap shoe in this year’s exercise.

Lieser, a farrier from Elsa, Texas, is an annual contender, never placing lower than sixth in the history of the mail-in exercise. He also won 4 years ago, and he has earned two seconds, a third, a fifth and a sixth. He placed second last year.

Keeping the honors in the family, Gene’s brother, Mark Lieser, of Weslaco, Texas, captured second place in the forging exercise. He moved up from a sixth place finish in 2005.

Third place went to Robbie Miller of South Africa. Australian shoer Adrian Cowell took fourth; Bill Poor of Manvel, Texas, was fifth. Flavio Souza of Brazil took sixth. Rounding out the top 10 were: Travis Koons, Romoland, Calif., seventh; Lars Anderson, Hemming, Denmark, eighth; Calvin Misener, Rosebud, Mo., ninth; and Tim Russell, Broken Bow, Neb., 10th.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Gene Lieser relies on keg shoes for most horses, though he’ll forge special shoes for horses that need them. “It’s important to have that…