Champion farrier

A six-time champion at the World Blacksmith Competition at Spruce Meadows, Steven Beane FWCF discusses the competition career that has taken him across the globe

- As told to Bethany Stone

When I started shoeing, that was all I wanted to do. My brother was the one who'd shown more of an interest in it when we were kids. I remember going to a talk by a farrier at the local riding club when I was 13. My brother, two years older, left thinking actually, it wasn’t for him, but I was inspired. I started going on jobs with Huw Dyer in Londonderry, North Yorkshire, the next year, every school holiday. I became his apprentice after college, and within about 10 weeks of working for him, he'd entered me in my first competition. I came last, but that was it. I was hooked.

It took about a year to do better than last place. By year two, I got going and started winning apprentice classes, then when I qualified, I started winning opens. I won my first world title in 2009.

Back then, I was just shoeing horses. The standard of competition since has skyrocketed; now, I have a fitness coach, a chiropractor, and I'm practising every night for a couple of hours after a full day's shoeing with my two apprentices and assistant farrier Matt. Thankfully my wife, Kat, also a trained farrier, massively supports me, and pushes me to be my best.