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CERTIFICATION REPORT
FSFA HOSTS AFA CERTIFICATION AS BRITISH REP OBSERVES
By Dennis Dunn, CJF, Certification Chairman
Question: What is one of the many things that sets the AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier apart from the rest?
Answer: DWCF accreditation – Recognition of a standard of farriery by The Worshipful Company of Farriers, a six-hundred-fifty-year-old organization.
When the FSFA hosted an AFA Certification test at Bryce Burnett’s shop in Zolfo Springs on November 7th and 8th, a representative from The Farriers Registration Council was on site (as they are once every three years) to review our certification standards. Stephen Newman, FWCF, an accomplished British farrier, educator, judge and competitor, spent two days observing as nine Candidates tested in several areas of the CF and CJF levels. The Worshipful Company of Farriers has its origins in 1356 London, and is still responsible for “securing adequate standards of competence and conduct among persons engaged in the shoeing of horses”. Website: www.wcf.org.uk
Friday’s action was highlighted by an informal clinic where Bryce demonstrated both the CF and CJF shoeing standards -- as AFA President Andrew Elsbree explained each step of the job and how it would be scored. The rest of the day saw the Candidates working in the fire, dialing in their tools and getting hands-on help from the AFA testers present. On Friday evening, the written test was given.
Lunch on Friday was an awesome venison chili prepared by Bryce’s wife, Murrie. The entire Burnett family, Bryce’s daughters and parents, really pulled out all stops in the hospitality department. We can’t thank them enough.
Thus sustained, the Candidates were under the horses early Saturday for the Practical (live-shoeing) exams and the Journeyman Bar Shoe test. By the end, several Candidates were one or two steps farther along toward Certification, having passed in various areas. Congratulations to Lloyd Phillips of Jupiter for completing the last phase of his CJF exam, the Practical, after five previous attempts. Lloyd is a great example to others of the determination, commitment and perseverance it takes to pass the AFA Journeyman test.
Thanks also go to the AFA volunteers: Examiner Rusty Jenkins, CJF; Testers Daryl Bean, CJF; Bryce Burnett, CJF; Dennis Dunn, CJF; and Doug Workman, CJF; and AFA President Andrew Elsbree, CJF.