30th Anniversary World Championship Blacksmiths' Competition 2009

Last Updated June 5, 2009

Stoke that forge! Swing that hammer! Vulcan himself would be proud as the sparks fly, the anvils ring, and the Stampede hosts the 30th anniversary edition of the World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition.

Every year, the world’s top craftsmen in this time-honoured profession give their all in front of thousands of spectators in what has become known as the “Olympics of Blacksmithing,” both educating and entertaining the public with their skills and abilities.

And for this landmark edition, 3 previous global champions will be returning for another shot at a world championship.

In what is considered one of the most prestigious events of its kind, the Stampede will host a series of forging, horseshoeing and team events, which will see competitors earn points in an attempt to earn a spot as one of the top 10 finalists.
There’ll be six tonnes of coke (fuel made from coal), 1,300 linear feet of steel bar stock and $35,000 in prize money, but only one 2009 World Champion Blacksmith as those 10 finalists square off on Sunday, July 5 under the Big Top.

Event Dates and Location

Event Dates:: July 1–5, 2009
Entry Closing Date:: May 1, 2009 5:00 PM
Location:: Big Top

Please note that the 2009 World Championship Blacksmiths' Competition begins 2 days prior to the official opening day of the Calgary Stampede

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Due to time and space constraints, entries in the 2009 World Championship Blacksmiths' Competition will be limited to 80 contestants. Entry priority will be given to National, Regional and Corporate Teams.

Be sure and get your entries in early.

* Metal Art Showcase entries close June 1, 2009.

Results + View Details

Press Releases + View Details

Schedule + View Details

Wednesday, July 1
Contestant Preparation Registration, practice time, judges' clinics & contestant meeting will be followed by a Sponsor Showcase and a Hospitality night. A great way to kick things off!

Clinic (Big Top) 10 am - 4 pm
Sponsor Showcase and Hospitality night (Carriage House Inn) 6:30 pm

Thursday, July 2
A full day of Forging Class 20/30, a 60 minute forging/shoeing class gets events rolling. Each contestant will shoe a foot and make a specimen. To follow Class 40/50 provides another opportunity to test your skills in a 50 minute forging class.

Class 20/30 (Big Top) 9 am - 3:15 pm
Class 40/50 (Big Top) 3:45 pm - 9 pm

Friday, July 3
Forging and Team Events Class 60/70 continues to see time on the clock reduced and this time only 40 minutes are allowed for completion of two shoes. Our Eagle Eye class requires competitors to forge a heart bar shoe to a foot model provided in 25 minutes. After a break, contestants come back in the afternoon to compete in the Four Man Team Draft Horse shoeing…always a crowd favourite.

Class 60/70 (Big Top) 7 am - 11 am
Class 90 (Big Top) 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Class 110 (Big Top) 2 pm - 6 pm

Saturday, July 4
Fast and Fantastic The Two Man is a shoeing class this year with teams shoeing a front and a hind foot of a light draft horse within the 60 minute time limit. This is the last chance at points to qualify for the Top Ten. The “potluck” Artistic Forging follows directly afterward and generates some interest on the part of both spectator and fellow competitors! Saturday night is a great night to socialize and soak up the talent at the Metal Art Showcase. Top Ten announcement will be made at the auction. Items made in the Potluck forging event are donated for sale in the silent auction at the Metal Art showcase and raise scholarship funds.

Class 80 (Big Top) 8 am - 11 am
Class 101 (Big Top) 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Metal Art Showcase (Palomino Room, BMO Centre) 6 pm - viewing and cocktails 7pm - auction

Click here for more information on the Metal Art Showcase.

Sunday, July 5
The Grande Finale The pressure is on as the Top Ten Finalists battle it out to make the Top Five and a chance at the World Championship. Banquet and Awards Ceremony to follow in the evening, honouring the Champions from the last 30 years.

Semi Finals (Big Top) 9 am - 11 am
Finals (Big Top) 11:30 am - 1 pm
Awards Presentation (Big Top) 1 pm - 2 pm
Reception (Palomino Room) 5 pm

Entry & Marketing Fees + View Details

$500.00 flat rate fee enters you automatically in all classes (including the artistic classes) and includes 1 exhibitor pass and 1 banquet ticket. Additional banquet tickets may be purchased at $30.00 a piece and additional exhibitor passes may be purchased at $21.00 a piece. Please indicate your requirements on your entry form.

The Calgary Stampede reserves the right to limit the amount of additional exhibitor badges and banquet tickets sold.

Artistic Forging Classes (Class 101, 102 and 103) are the ONLY classes that may be entered individually. The cost to enter these classes individually is $100 per team for Class 101, $100 for Class 102 and $25 for Class 103.

Click here for more information on the Metal Art Showcase.

Class 110, the Four-Man Team Draft Horseshoeing is now a point class which counts toward the World Championship standings and is no longer available to enter individually.

Prize Money & Awards + View Details

Over $35,000 in prize money and awards will be offered. A total of $15,000 will be awarded to the top competitors.
The 2009 World Champion Blacksmith will receive a cheque for $10,000
The Forging Champion will receive $1000.
The Shoeing Champion will receive $1000.
The highest scoring First Time Competitor will receive $1000.

Each of the forging classes, 20 through 90, has a guaranteed purse of $650.
The Four-Man Team Draft Horseshoeing Competition (Class 110) has a guaranteed purse of $2000.

All prize money will be in Canadian Dollars and non-residents of Canada will be subject to a 15% withholding tax

Rules and Regulations + View Details

Regulations:: For complete contest rules and regulations click here. It is important to familiarize yourself with all the rules, as any deviation from the rules could result in disqualification.
Judging Criteria:: Click here for the 2009 Prizelist.
Judges & Show Officials:: The WCBC is excited to welcome two accomplished and renowned blacksmiths to judge this years competition.

Billy Crothers, Wales
Jim Quick, USA

General Information + View Details

The World Championship Blacksmiths' Competition is proud to announce the CARRIAGE HOUSE INN, 9030 Macleod Trail South, Calgary, Alberta as their Host Hotel.

Don't forget to book accommodations for your stay in Calgary as soon as you submit your entry. Booking with WCBC rate deadline May 1, 2009. When booking , you will need to identify yourself as a competitor in the World Championship Blacksmiths' Competition. The toll free number is 1-800-661-9566 or via e-mail reserv@carriagehouse.net

One(1) exhibitor badge is included in the cost of the entry fee. Additional badges can be ordered at a cost of $21.00 each by indicating on the entry form how many are required. The exhibitor badge must be presented at the gates in order to gain access to Stampede Park and also to gain access to areas limited to exhibitor's such as the competition arena.

COMPETITION FORMAT

World Championship Point Standings
The format of the competition will see competitors working through a series of forging classes to qualify for the Top Ten. The Top Ten competitors will shoe the front feet of a horse and a score will be given. The competitors with the top five accumulated scores after the Semi-Final event will advance to the Final event. The horses will be re-drawn and the top five competitors will shoe the hind feet. The total of the points accumulated in the forging classes (including the Four Man Draft Horseshoeing) and in the Semi-Final and Final events will determine the World Champion Blacksmith.
A point system will be used in all classes and events. Each of the two judges will mark the shoes individually and the two scores will be added together to determine the top six placings in each class. Three judges will be used for the Artistic Forging Class. Championship points will be awarded on the basis of the class placings. All shoes that meet prize list specifications will be judged.

Championship Points
Points will be awarded toward the World Championship for Classes 20/30 through 90 AND Class 110, as follows:

Points will be awarded toward the World Championship for the Semi-Final and Final events as follows:

ARTISTIC FORGING POINTS DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THE WORLD STANDINGS, HOWEVER, THE FOUR MAN TEAM DRAFT HORSESHOEING CLASS DOES.

For more information, please contact: Janette Bamford Agriculture Program Coordinator 403.261.9174 jbamford@calgarystampede.com

Committee + View Details

Blaine Virostek (Chairman), Rob Hitchner (Vice Chair), Erik Swanby (Vice Chair), Byron Hussey(Director Responsible), Allison Wright (Agriculture Manager), Janette Bamford (Agriculture Program Coordinator), Brooke Baillie, Adrienne Bellehumeur, Chantale Benoit, Melisa Bernard, Rob Burns, Mike Curran, Art Gallais, Bari Harris, Heather Hartmann, Michele Hollins, David Holub, Marshall Iles, Victoria Knapp, Dave Maller, Jim Malm, Heather Mills, Julie Mirdoch, Jarrett Nixon, Dave Pokrandt, Jonathan Poulsen, Tracy Quinton, Lance Sloman, Mark Williams, Rob Thomas

Carmichael