In 2009, American Farriers Journal joined six industry suppliers to create the Rising Shoeing Star award to be given out each year at the International Hoof-Care Summit. This award is presented to three farriers who have made incredible professional progress within 3 years of graduation from farrier school.

This year’s award co-sponsors include the Electric Hoof Knife, Hawthorne Products, Life Data Labs, Purcell Farrier Supply, R.J. Matthews Co. and Vettec.

Each winner received a plaque, a 1-year subscription to American Farriers Journal, the AFJ “Kitchen Sink” package (a practical footcare library with over 3,500 pages of reference material) and free registration to the Summit.

In addition, the first-place winner receives $1,000 and the two runners-up each receive $500. The schools that produced the three winners also receive plaques and copies of the Kitchen Sink package for use at their schools.

The farriers honored at this year’s Summit were Joanna Bailey of Buckley, Wash., Victor Frisco of Crestwood, Ky., and Eddie Cleckler of Springville, Ala.

Joanna Bailey

Rising Shoeing Star winner Joanna Bailey accepts her award from AFJ Editor/Publisher Frank Lessiter, right, at the 2016 International Hoof-Care Summit. Bailey is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School, owned by Bob Smith, left.

Joanna Bailey is a graduate of Bob Smith’s Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School (PCHS) in Plymouth, Calif.

“I chose Pacific Coast Horseshoeing School based on the recommendations of top farriers in my area who graduated from the program,” Bailey says.

“These recommendations were reinforced by the program’s curriculum, which…