Earlier this year, it was announced that the World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition (WCBC) would be dropped from the Calgary Stampede lineup after 2014.

While there is much disappointment in the horseshoeing world over this, there is also optimism that another event, unaffiliated with the stampede, will take its place.

To celebrate this 35th and seemingly final WCBC event at Calgary, American Farriers Journal is holding one last Calgary Mail-In Forging Exercise. For 11 of the Stampedes, this was a way for farriers from around the globe to participate without traveling to Calgary. With each of these contests, a project (various shoes and pair of tongs throughout its existence) would be made by farriers, sent in, judged at Calgary and a winner announced.   It is free to enter, although you will be responsible for the shipping cost of your entry.

Joining us for this last ride is Chris Gregory of the Heartland Horseshoeing School. He has provided the instructions for  the previous Calgary Mail-Ins. For 2014, he has chosen a sidebone shoe. Here is a video in which Gregory discusses this shoe.

Instructions on this shoe will be in the April issue of American Farriers Journal. If you don’t subscribe to the magazine, you can find these instructions on the AFJ site on April 15. You’ll have until June 1 to get your shoe into the AFJ office. This year we will create a digital photo album of all of the entries, as well as identifying who made each shoe. The overall winner will receive a belt buckle and every entrant will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

This likely is the very last Calgary Stampede WCBC event, but let’s not dwell on the negative. Spend sometime in your shop and make this a contest to remember.