A highly accomplished international farrier will be judging the Wānaka A&P Show Farrier Blacksmith event later this week.

Scottish farrier Sarah Brown, FWCF, is one of the few women competing as a farrier internationally. She is only the second woman in 650 years to be recognised as an elite farrier when she was named an associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers in 2011.

The guild is the oldest in the world and has a 700 year history.

Sarah told Farmers Weekly UK that her school careers advisor advised her against taking a farrier course as they “didn’t see it as a ladylike career”.

“People used to be very surprised when I turned up, but it is less unusual to see a female farrier these days,” she told the publication. 

“There’s a growing number of women working in the field, which is great because it’s a fantastic job, even though it is extremely hard.”

Sarah has competed and judged internationally and is among the most respected clinicians, educators and farriers in the world.

The Wānaka A&P Show farrier competition is a three person event which starts with tool making on Friday morning (March 8). Within a limited time, competitors will make a range of tools they will use in shoeing the horses on the Saturday afternoon - including tongs for the required steel size as well as other shoemaking tools.

On Friday afternoon each team member will make one of the three shoes requested by Sarah, including a ‘mystery’ shoe that competitors will not have seen until immediately prior to the class.

On Saturday morning Sarah will give a clinic to competitors on shoeing a Clydesdale, followed in the afternoon by live Clydesdale shoeing where competitors will hand make a front and hind shoe in a prescribed time.

Getting to the show

The Wānaka A&P Show will take place on Friday and Saturday this week at the Wānaka Showgrounds and Pembroke Park. 

Please allow extra time to get to the event as various roadworks around Wānaka mean there will be delays.

There are two park-n-rides set up and bike parking available at Gate 1 and Gate 2.

Find more information on getting to the show here.