“ With over 25 years Equine experience my career has taken me on many different paths, both on a professional and competitive level and as a non-professional (hobbyist).
As a farrier I have managed to build a very reputable business in Australia which took me abroad in 2005 to heighten and expand my knowledge. My motto is “You can never know everything there is to know” it has been my experience that there are so many new procedures and techniques out there.
Whilst I was in New Market, England I studied under Simon Curtis who is a fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers which is the highest qualification in Europe. Simon was also awarded an Honorary Associateship by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK) which is the highest honour the college gives to a person outside the veterinary profession and it is awarded to persons of eminence or who have rendered special services to veterinary science or the veterinary profession. Simon is a wealth of knowledge author of 3 books- Foal to racehorse, Corrective farriery and Corrective farrier II.
While studying for my English Diploma I was required to sit a pre entrance exam which I did and passed with out having to complete any college time, which I am told I am the only overseas applicant that has completed this exam without college in 650 years. I had the privilege to be tutored by 3 people I class as Europe’s most highly qualified farriers/examiners, the late Ivan Bell fwcf , Simon Curtis fwcf and David “Slim” Simons fwcf. Three truly amazing and inspirational men of their field, with much to teach. It was a great honour and very memorable time.
I worked with a gifted Irish lad, Stephen Kielt dip.wcf in one of Europe’s leading trainers sables, Michael Jarvis. This experience not only gave me ever lasting and unique friendship but the chance to shoe the “worlds best Miler-Rakti" truly an amazing animal. Eswarah, she won the 2005 Vodafone English Oaks at Epsom, owned by Sheik Hamdan Al Maktoum. I was also awarded the “Kings plate award for the most winners shod in a race season for 2006” where I won an all expenses paid trip to Albuquerque New Mexico to attend the World Farries Convention held in March 2007.
My affinity with horses began in 1975 when I was 14, Brian Gath Harness Stable employed me as a stable hand where I stayed in that capacity for 2 years. From 1977 to 1982 Brian upgraded me to Stable Foreman and as such I was in charge of the daily running of the stable and delegating tasks to fellow employees. I soon found myself breaking and educating young stock, shoeing Harness horses and driving. Whilst driving for the Gath stables we had numerous group 1 winners.
In 1982 to 1999 I took on my own stable and training and driving became my life for the next 18 yrs. I trained on average 30 horses at a time. In this time I had approx 500 winners in Group 1 and 2. Shoeing my own horses was a must as Harness farrier were and still are scares. I also became a blood stock agent for purchasing numerous highly successful harness horses for Australia brought in from overseas. |
