The Edward Martin Perpetual Competition Committee announced that its 2016 scholarship winner is Lydia Bim-Merle of Michigan City, Ind.

“As a young child, she was fascinated watching the farriers at the county fair,” according to a press release from the Edward Martin Perpetual Competition. “Lydia went on to study veterinarian science and work full-time at the Transition Equestrian Center until she was able to save the tuition to attend Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. After graduation, she will go to California where she will start working full-time with a journeyman farrier.”

The Edward Martin Perpetual Scholarship Fund began in 2008 to commemorate the Hall Of Fame farrier’s contribution to the education of American farriers.

The Martin family conducted a world class draft horse shoeing competition for several decades in the village of Closeburn, Scotland, which attracted competitors from all over the world. In the same spirit, the Edward Martin Perpetual Competition is held every September at the Draft Horse Classic in Grass Valley, Calif.

For more information about the Edward Martin Perpetual Competition or Scholarship Fund, contact Bill Merfy at (702) 217-7366 or at fortwm@succeed.net.