Walt Taylor, Founder of The World Farriers Association

Walt was born in 1933, and raised on a farm/ranch where he worked with mules and horses from early childhood. He shod his first horse in 1948. His subsequent career in farriery has led Walt to shoe horses and judge farrier competitions all over the world, including the US, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Middle East, North Africa, India, Italy, South Africa, Turkey and Latvia.

Walt earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado A&M College in Fort Collins, Colorado, in June of 1955.

In 1969 Walt conceived the American Farriers Association (the AFA). It was chartered in May of 1971, and Walt still retains his Charter Membership number of #1. For the next 15 years, until 1986, Walt served as President of the AFA, during which time he helped establish many of the programs currently in use, including:

• Liaison with the American Horse Council
• Liaison with the AAEP
• Liaison with the American Horseshoes Association
• Having the AFJ as the official AFA publication
• The farrier certification program
• The Register of Professional Farrier Educators
• The annual AFA convention and tradeshow
• Liaison with other national farrier associations

In 1984 Walt founded the World Farriers Association (the WFA), in collaboration with the Japan Farriers Association, and the National Master Farriers, Blacksmiths, and Agricultural Engineers Association in Britain. Appointed the first President of the WFA, he then worked tirelessly to assist in the formation/reformation of associations for farriers in Ireland, Italy, Europe, Jordan, Morocco, Mexico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago. In his capacity as President Walt also provides a liaison with/between farrier organizations and governmental bodies, as well as educational institutions.

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