By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

Sam Gooding of  Midland, a member of the 2005 American Farriers Team, also demonstrated his skills at the April 8 clinic at Spradling Ranch. -- Staff photo by Kramer

April 27, 2006 - Sam Gooding, of Midland, one of the several farriers at the April 8 farrier clinic in Hunt County, said most people outside the farrier industry are probably not aware that there is an Olympic-style farrier team.

Gooding, a certified farrier, was on the 2005 American Farriers Team. It was the first time the 29-year-old had been on the five-member team.

The team is selected each year at the American Farrier’s Association (AFA) Convention, which is held in a different place every year. More than 50 people usually compete in the trials held at the convention. Out of those 50, five are chosen to represent the United States in three international competitions.

The qualifying competition requires skills learned throughout several years of experience. “It’s mainly based on forging horseshoes,” said Gooding. In addition, the farriers are required to shoe a horse.

Once team members are chosen, they devote several months to practices, which the AFA said is held throughout the country, and several competitions. They compete as a team and in individual events.

Gooding said the first international competition was held in Alberta during the Calgary Stampede in mid-summer of 2005. According to the AFA, the competition is extremely difficult and requires farriers to make at least 14 “different pathological and corrective horseshoes.” Gooding said there were both pleasure and draft horses at the competitive events. As a team, his group was required to shoe a draft horse. 

The winners are recognized as the World Champion (team and individual) Blacksmiths at the Calgary Stampeded. The American team, which the AFA said has won the competition once and earned the reserve title six times, did not place in the overall standings at the Alberta competition. One member of the team was individually recognized.

The toughest competition, according to Gooding came a few months later when the group traveled to Stoneleigh-Park, England, to compete in the Stoneleigh International Farriery and Blacksmithing Competition.

“You have a time limit to perform a task, then you’re judged on the quality of the work,” explained Gooding. He said there is no reward for finishing the task early. At the England competition, all but one of the events are a team contest.

“I enjoy the team events more than the individual events,” said Gooding. “Working with a team gets younger people involved.”

Gooding said his team was at a slight disadvantage to the European teams because in Europe, all blacksmiths are required to complete a lengthy apprenticeship. 

“Competitions and team events help to do (apprenticeships) in our own way,” said Gooding of his American teammates, three of whom were first year competitors.

The demanding and fast-paced competition was all new to Gooding. “I was overwhelmed,” he said of the trip to Europe.

The team fared well at Stoneleigh; they placed seventh overall in the team competition and eighth in the team gas forging class.

According to the AFA, the last international competition for the team takes place in Closeburn, Scotland, where the team members focus on shoeing Clydesdale horses.

Though Gooding has decided to take a few years off from competition, he said he plans on trying out for the team again when he can find the time. 

All members of the American Farriers Team are volunteers and only their basic expenses are covered when traveling to competitions, according to the AFA. More information about the team and the association, including team trials, can be found at www.AmericanFarriers.org. 

The 2007 convention and trials are planned for Feb. 27 through March 3 in Albuquerque, N.M.