Mark_Gough wrote:
Mark I beleive you are incorrect in this statement, The AFA does not hold certifications throughout the United States, just like the PRCA, IPRA, and the PBR don't put on rodeos. They are merely a sanctioning body that establish the rules and criteria. It is the local chapters who do the work and put up the money to have a certification. It is up to the local chapters to put on the clinics in which the AFA team or examiners are the clinicians. It would be interesting to see the figures for the percentage of farriers who are members of there local association compared to the percent that are AFA.

Mark_Gough wrote:
Mark I find this statement hard to beleive coming from you. If a business is not succeeding it is not the fault of the customer. Especially after the business has been around a long time, I beleive Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different reults. Perhaps the AFA should look at the reason there membership is low, and reevalute there business plan(such as being discussed above) to gain more members.

This thread has become to repetitive to care much any more.

I don't think anyone is going to change there pre conceived ideas on the AFA

clearthinkingone wrote:Michael, I think you have succinctly stated why the AFA has so much trouble attracting members in the first place. Couple that with their experience after joining and the tap root is exposed.

smitty88 wrote:
I appreciate the kind words John.

John, coming from you that means a lot! I value your opinion and appreciate how you've generously shared your work and thoughts over the years. It sets an example to which many of us aspire.

Cheers,
Mark

cuttinshoer wrote:
We'll have to agree to disagree Justin. In my view, all of those local AFA chapters, along with their many members, are collectively the AFA.


Nothing hard to believe about it. The AFA is not a business and farriers are not AFA customers. With the exception of headquarters office staff, it's an association of volunteers.

Truth be told, that they don't keep doing the same thing over and over again is part of their failing. Annual changes in management assure a constant state of flux, inhibiting execution of multi-year plans. That they successfully pull off the annual convention is really rather remarkable.

There are many reasons that membership represents such a small percentage of practicing farriers. Some of the reasons are failure points in the association. Some of the reasons are practicing farriers either having no interest/need for a national association or seeing no value add.

One thing I am sure of. Short of dramatic change in management process, association focus and increased membership, it is difficult to imagine how the AFA can become more effective on a national scale.

That is unfortunate. Without some kind of strong association administering required peer-reviewed credibility, I fear that U.S. farriers will forever be relegated to the perception of "strong backed, weak minded" iron hangers. A few people are trying very hard to change that perception, particularly among the veterinary and international community. It's an uphill battle with an unlikely positive prognosis.

Cheers,
Mark