Darren Bazin
Darren Bazin was born into a horsey family and it was only natural that he would want a career working with horses. He became interested in farriery through a farrier friend of the family Philip (Tip) Warner and after completing school he managed to secure an apprenticeship with five times world champion blacksmith Billy Crothers and his business partner Carl Bettison. After a thoroughly enjoyable apprenticeship he managed to obtain the diploma of the worshipful company of farriers in 1992 and went on to become an associate in 1994.
Throughout his apprenticeship he was encouraged to compete in shoemaking competitions and once qualified started competing in the open shoeing classes.A competitive edge and a dedication to his craft saw him become 3x world forging champion, 3 x world shoeing champion and 3 x world champion Blacksmith.
He has been consistent member of the England horse shoeing team for the last 15 years and has competed in not only the UK but also the USA, Canada, Scandinavia and Italy.He has also judged both at home and abroad.
The competitions have enabled Darren to strive for excellence which has helped maintain a top standard in his every day work in the busy practice based in Northamptonshire where he now trains his own apprentices. Another knock on effect of being one of the world's top competitive farriers are the various clinics Darren has been invited to give.
Darren is available for shoemaking and shoeing clinics both home and aboard. His shoeing practice covers Northants and parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Cambridgeshire.
Brian Saunders
Brian started his farrier career in 1991 working for Billy Crothers who was based near Tring hertfordshire, after gaining a years experience shoe making in the forge Brian's apprenticeship commenced, working with fellow apprentices Darren Bazin, Nick Record and Sam Head.
Training along side these guys there was no surprise a strong competitive nature was encouraged which took them to many competitions that improved their shoe making skills.
In 1996 Brian passed his diploma of the worshipful company of farriers, and is convinced that the experience of shoe making competitions as an apprentice gave him much improved confidence when sitting exams.
In the late 90's and early 2000's Brian was a regular member of the scottish farrier team gaining techniques and knowledge from some of the best and most experienced farriers from around the world.
In 2001 Brian sat the associate exam and achieved his A.W.C.F status.
Since becoming an approved training farrier it has given Brian great satisfaction in nurturing and guiding apprentices and also helping and encouraging fellow farriers, in passing on his experiences gained from working around many parts of the world.
Mark Watson
Mark Watson has been a farrier for twenty years. He began his apprenticeship in 1991 with the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery at St. John's Wood Barracks, London. After a three year apprenticeship he passed the Army Class 2 examination (equivalent to the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers).
From that point on Mark was responsible for the training of junior apprentices involving lectures, demonstrations and examination training. He progressed on to his Class 1 Military Farrier examination (equivalent to the Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers) five years later at the Army School of Farriery in Melton Mowbray.
After this, Mark returned to London and became the Master Farrier of the King's Troop RHA in 2001. During his whole career he has been a keen competitor, competing at every county show in England and all major shows in Wales and Scotland. He has competed in Germany, Switzerland, the World Championships in Calgary (finishing 20th) in 2009 and in 2010 represented Great Britain in the European Farriery Championships in Bordeaux.
Mark finished his Army career as the Farrier Sergeant Major at Melton Mowbray. He is an examiner for the Worshipful Company of Farriers and sits on the Examinations Executive Group. He now runs his own farriery business in Grantham and specialises in examination training and education for farriers who are about to take farriery examinations.
In the past twelve months Mark has been teaching at the Giessen Veterinary University in Germany. He has also completed three courses for farriers in Lesotho (South Africa) and has run a course for King Abdul Aziz's farriers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
His future ambitions are to continue competing and also to take his Fellowship examination.
