Congratulations Bongo!

[danverschild]

...just wanted to offer a public congratulations to Scott Chaney, who went to an AFA certification this weekend and came home as Indiana's newest AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier.

[Bill Adams]

Congratulations Scott!!

Good job outa you!
As I'm part way through the CF process, I admire your determination and skill.
You can fool some of the people, etc., but not at that test.

Sincerley,
Bill

[Dave Purves]

Well done Scott, how many barshoes did you make before you were ready to take the test? I'm on 174 I think. I've tried to keep track but the only way I'll reallyknow is if I go through the big pile and count. Wish me luck, I'm taking the written at the convention and the rest in May.
Dave Purves CF :D

[Jason Maki]

Congrats Scott,
You deserve the title! :D
Jason MAki

[Rick Burten]

Add my congrats too!

Rick (who in his altered ego state is also known as "Two Dogs, Warrior Prince of the FIN"--which I suppose means , Two congrats, too :D )

[shoesofiron]

You can fool some of the people, etc., but not at that test.

Sincerley,
Bill

how many barshoes did you make before you were ready to take the test?
Dave Purves CF


A humble thanks for the kudos, everyone. It?s been a great experience.
I always felt like I did (or at least tried to do) good work, regardless of any ?certification? I might have or not have from an professional organization.
In fact, up until a few years ago I felt like it was not something I wanted, much less needed for my business.
I guess part of what changed my mind was how I was treated by guys in the Indiana Farriers Association when I had my unfortunate tumble on my mule that put me out for several months. They really came to my aid and helped me keep my bills under control by having the clients make the checks out to me even though they were the ones doing the work while I was laid up. These guys were pros and quite honestly, I felt like I owed them a debt of gratitude other than maybe wading in to help them if the tables were turned.
That, and the fact that I wanted to prove to myself that I had what it takes to pass the tests by the AFA. At the time, I couldn?t have cared less if I had a CF, CJF, RJF, BAMF or any other initials behind my name because many of the owners I talked to couldn?t (and still don?t) tell you what they meant anyways.
But I also knew that this game of shoeing horses is ?thankfully- moving out of the dark ages.
In my area, it?s difficult to distinguish yourself from other shoers because of the perception the public has about us around here. Just because a guy might charge a little more than someone else doesn?t mean he?s capable of doing a better job and I got to thinking it might be a good marketing tool for me in the years to come.
Marketing ? now there?s something that used to be completely foreign in this industry. ?If you gotta advertise, you ain?t no good? has always been the macho code of pseudo-cowboys and iron hangers here. But in a declining economy (east central Indiana has lost some 75,000 jobs in the last 7-8 years) people are a little more picky about how they spend their money and to keep a business growing, you have to stand out somehow.
Taking a test that puts me in a percentile way different than anyone else around here could be useful, especially if I have the talent and skill to complete it.
Believe me when I say I looked at other organizations and their testing AND image and found them lacking when put side by side of the AFA guidelines.
If I was going to do this, I wanted it to be the most stringent standards available in this country.
I guess that?s why I feel like getting this CJF behind me isn?t so much of an accomplishment as it is a great place to start.
I know it?s a pipe dream but I feel that more than anything this industry needs is better educated owners. So I?m looking into what it takes to get the Educational Endorsement from the AFA. Like I said, at my age, it?s more of a dream than probable reality but if I can help make owners appreciation of our trade greater, it might help the guy that follows me around here when I?m gone.
And that?s what I?m looking to: tomorrow.

But to answer Dave?s question- I dunno, Dave. In the last few years I entered about 4 or 5 contests to help me hone my forging skills.
I worked with a few guys around here that I respect for their forging ability.
I went to several clinics and picked up some pointers from Bob Marshal, Troy Price & Chris Gregory.
I went to the AFA convention and watched guys work their butts off. I think it was there that I gained the most insight. I was able to watch the hammer styles of many men and pick and choose the ones that fit my physical ability.
For instance, just watching Hank Highfield crack a toe bend somehow made a light go on in my brain and turning shoes has been easier for me ever since just seeing him do that.
But like I said to some friends after passing the final phases of the test, I think the thing that helped me most was my experience as a Standardbred shoer. For years, I had to shoe horses to the prescription set forth by some pretty darned knowledgeable trainers.
And that?s all the CJF test is, really.
"Here?s what I want, can you give it to me? If you can, great. You got a job. If not, you don?t eat."

Thanks again, everyone.

PS- Ya know, it's a helluva thing to pick up a moniker for something you did on a whim instead of the blood, sweat, and tears you've shed for decades -
:cool:

[Mike Ferrara]

Good post Scott and congrats.

Maybe this time around I'll work toward some certifications...don't know yet. The guy I served my long grueling apprenticeship under 25 years ago didn't think much of such things so I started out biased and never had any interest.

Since then it seems I've spent most of my life and money in the persuit of certifications. I got a degree in electronics and spent some time as an engineer until I ran out of places to work and ended up living in the middle of nowhere and just sold a bunch of stuff to try to pay off the student loans at the ripe old age of 45. I spent some time in the dive (scuba that is) business and hold instructor ratings with two different agencies and hold the hightest diving certifications that exist (full cave and trimix).

I can't honestly say that any of it payed off beyond personal satisfaction. I also can't say that the deucation required to gain those certifications was all that relevant to the work I actually had to do in the field. The diving certification agencie especially are completely clueless and will get you killed if you give them half a chance.

Still...maybe I'll do it anyway. Maybe I can get some of you Indiana guys to tutor me a little?

BTW, any one know how long it should take to hear from the IFA after sending in a membership app and the money?

[shoesofiron]

Hey Mike and Everyone-
Didja ever forget something that you should have said?
There's one more thing that helped me a lot (picture Jim Carey in **** and ****er telling that Redhead that he liked her "a-l-o-t")
It's the Pre-certification clinics that are held periodically. I attended one in bfe Ohio that did wonders for me, my forging techniques (even though I b*tched about them trying to change me at the time), planning my timing, routine, etc.
Well worth the time and effort.
AND it's a ands on tools, not hands on hips clinic.
But sure, if you get some free time over the coming frigid weather, gimmee a call and we'll do something. I don't know where you're located in this great state but I'm in the Muncie area (also bfe).

[Mike Ferrara]

But sure, if you get some free time over the coming frigid weather, gimmee a call and we'll do something. I don't know where you're located in this great state but I'm in the Muncie area (also bfe).

I'm near Winamac but I get to Muncie every couple of week because my daughter goes to school there. I have to take her back tomarrow in fact.

[Phil Armitage]

Congrats, Scott, I think the Pre-Certification Clinics is one of the best things the AFA did and I hope it continues. I attended one this year and It was well worth it. Learned a lot and met some great folks. I think Matt Gillis is in your State. He was one of the Clinicians at the one I went to and he did a great job, I had a light bulb experience while watching and listening to him. If you see him, tell him I said hi. You can have a great product, but inorder to succeed you need to market it. One way to market a product is word of mouth and do quality work, quality speeks for itself. I was once told if you take buisness from your competitor, then shame on them and good for you. If it happens to you then shame on you and good for them. Don't underestimate your competetor, find out what there doing and do it the same or better. It's just buisness, however I also believe in giveing a helping hand when a fellow shoer gets sick or injured, then it is buisness again after there back on there feet. Educated and experienced horse owners are the best clients. Helping horse owners helps horses.