The Minnesota Farriers Association

The Minnesota Farriers Association was started in 1971 when Richard Duggan presided over the first meeting at Michael's Restaurant in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Some of those present were: Michael Mobley, Jerry Reents, Jim Sachett, Larry Oatman, and Ernie Wood, who was elected the first President of the MNFA. Membership totaled about 25-30.
The organization was dedicated to educating farriers from its inception. The group held forging clinics, lectures, and forging and horseshoeing contests. The first clinician to be brought into Minnesota was Bruce Daniels, an icon of the American Farriers Association.
Among the presidents to hold office after Ernie Wood were: Richard Duggan, Donn Mattson, Jeff Holler, Mike Berthiaume, Blair Rains, Terry Holst, Jeff Milford, and Dave Lindahl.
Mike Berthiaume was responsible for taking us to a another level by making the MNFA a chapter of the American Farriers Association. The Minnesota Farriers Association has taken an active part in the governance of the AFA through participation on the board of directors.
Please contact American Farriers Association for information about benefits, educational opportunities, and membership.
As stated in our bylaws, our purpose is -
...to provide quality education to Minnesota farriers; to sponsor and promote educational meetings, clinics, seminars and social activities that will bring farriers together to share information that in turn will improve farrier skills for the benefit of horses and horse owners.
We've expanded the scope of our teaching to include horse owners. Until the horse owner becomes educated enough to recognize quality farrier work, our efforts to promote excellence in farriery will be largely self-gratifying. To this end, we've started looking for ways to demonstrate quality work in venues that naturally attract the horse public. We started with a noticable presence at the annual Minnesota Horse Expo with live shoeing and forging demonstrations. Part of this website is directed toward the horse owner, as well.
If you have an interest in becoming a part of this growing organization or just want to contact us for any reason, please go to the "Contacts" page and follow the link to our email or go to the "Membership" page and sign up.