Sixty farriers from 15 nations battled it out in a fierce competition at the European Farrier Championships held in Bordeaux (February 5-7 2010).

Competitors qualify to compete and represent their country in a gruelling test of forging and shoeing skills held over three days.

The final day of competition saw just 12 farriers qualify to contest the championship title in two final rounds of shoemaking and shoeing. The shoemaking included the forging of two therapeutic shoes from bar stock – a ‘G’ bar shoe and a hind straight bar preventer shoe with a ‘trailer’ heel in just one hour. The shoeing class required competitors to trim, fit and make a front and hind three-quarter fullered shoe from straight bar stock with them both nailed on in one hour.

David Varini (Scotland, UK) maintained his overnight lead from fellow UK competitor and reigning world champion Steven Beane from Yorkshire to secure the coveted title of European Champion Farrier 2010. Steven Beane finished close behind to secure reserve European champion.

Team manager, Jim Blurton, was delighted with the result: “This is a fantastic achievement for David and Steven and UK farriers as a whole. As a nation we consistently achieve excellent results at the Europeans and the World Championships in Calgary. The standard of farriery is particularly high and constantly improving which will obviously benefit the horses we shoe. I would like to take this opportunity to thank ProFeet for their sponsorship of the UK Farrier Team at the Championships.”

Following rigorous practise sessions over the past few weeks, the win was a particularly special one for David: “To compete at the European Championships is a fantastic opportunity and to win is even better. It is particularly nerve wracking when you have so many good farriers competing alongside you. I am extremely happy!”

David Varini is a working farrier in Ayrshire, Scotland and runs his farriery practise with business partner Paul Robinson. In 2008 Paul Robinson won the World Championships in Calgary and David was reserve world champion the same year.