“Son, are you done making money and want to move to Colorado to take over the family business?” 

Not a conventional sales pitch by the third-generation owner of Oleo Acres Farrier and Blacksmith Supply, Bob Michel. In fact, it was the worst sales pitch fourth-generation owner Rob Michel had ever heard. But it worked. 

“It came at the right time,” he says. “My wife and I were ready to start a family, and the life of a traveling sales rep just didn’t fit. Looking back now, with five kids and my wife beside me, I wouldn’t change a thing.” 

Carrying on the family legacy of excellence, Rob took the reins in 2016 and has continued to improve Oleo Acres since. Now, as the 2025 Supply Shop of the Year (Please read “Elevating the Industry One Farrier at a Time” ), Rob and his team’s hard work — building on three generations of dedication — is being recognized by the farrier industry. 

50 Years of Supporting Farriers

In 1975, the founders of Oleo Acres, Vern and Sunny Olinger, set the tone for years to come. 

“They named it Oleo Acres — the Cheaper Spread — after the margarine brand,” says Rob, Vern and Sunny’s great-grandson, as a nod to the Olingers’ modest homestead. “It fits their spirit perfectly: simple, honest, hardworking.” 

This philosophy comes out in the supply shop’s dedication to its customers. Third-generation owners Bob and Christi Michel went above and beyond to not only get customers the…