Dozens of farriers traveled to Placerville, Calif., for the 2014 Northern California Classic, which ran May 14-17. Turnout was high for the American Farrier’s Association certification, which took place on the first day. The remaining days consisted of contests, lectures, live shoeing demonstrations and a marketplace. The event wrapped up with an auction and banquet.

Thirty-two farriers competed in the different contest divisions, which included eagle eye elimination, three-man draft team shoeing, division 1, division 2 and an open division. Margie Lee Gustafson of Palo Alto, Calif., took first in the eagle eye elimination. Raleigh Desioto of Sonora, Calif., Kelly Vermeer-Vella of Oakdale, Calif., and Alice Johnson of Morgan Hill, Calif., placed first in the three-man draft. Tyler Mandgie of Morro Bay, Calif., was the division 1 overall high point winner and Chuckie Johnson took the division 2 overall high point award. Raleigh Desioto won the open division overall high point.

Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center sponsored Grant Moon of Staffordshire, United Kingdom, who served as clinician and judge.In addition to the divisions, five additional awards were handed out. Shelee Lyon of Ramona, Calif., won the Harry Patton Sportsmanship award; Matt Parent of Reno, Nev., took home the Gene Armstrong Certification Shoeing High Point award; Chuckie Johnson earned the Jason Morgan Division 2 High Point Trim and the Jay Sharp Memorial Forging High Point awards; and Raleigh Desioto won the Whipli Overall High Point award.

An intern division, sponsored by the Sierra South Horseshoeing School, awarded the top three contenders. First…