A special edition of the Tyne Tees Television rural affair programme Landmark presented by Eric Robson from Closeburn in Dumfriesshire where farriers from around the world are competing in Closeburn International, now in its 25th year and aims to preserve the skills of Clydesdale shoeing. Title: Landmark The programme begins with farmer John Dodd of Sillywrea Farm near Hexham ploughing a field using his Clydesdale horses. From the forecourt of a petrol station at Closeburn Eric Robson walks...

A special edition of the Tyne Tees Television rural affair programme Landmark presented by Eric Robson from Closeburn in Dumfriesshire where farriers from around the world are competing in Closeburn International, now in its 25th year and aims to preserve the skills of Clydesdale shoeing. Title: Landmark The programme begins with farmer John Dodd of Sillywrea Farm near Hexham ploughing a field using his Clydesdale horses. From the forecourt of a petrol station at Closeburn Eric Robson walks into the workshop of the toughest farrier competition in the world where men and women from around the globe have come together to compete. The Friday night before the competition is a BBQ and there are interviews with a farrier from Montana, a member of the US horseshoeing team whose interest in the trip is to gain experience. Another English farrier says it's a chance to meet old friends. On the Saturday morning the 28 competitors draw lots to compete in four heats with each of them having 70 minutes to make and fit a shoe for a Clydesdale horse. Competitors trim their horse's foot and work the hammer and anvil. The farrier job is to harness the animal's strength, to work the anvil to make a shoe that not only fits, but also helps to balance the animal. Part of the competition is also to replicate a specially made shoe produced by one of the judges. At the end of the heat the first judging. Interview with Edward Martin who started the competition about what the judges are looking for in both the foot and shoe. There is a specific technique for Clydesdales with the shoe having to fit the foot rather than the other way around. He believes the competition helps retain some of the traditional skills of the past. Interview with Pat Balfour, one of the judges about how best to shoe a horse. He also has a farrier business which he runs with his sons in Dundee. The revival of the heavy horse is thanks to Canada and America who have saved the Clydesdale. The biggest owners of Clydesdale horses are Anheuser-Busch the makes of Budweiser beer in America. Title: Landmark In the second part of the programme the competition moving onto the 3rd and 4th heats. Interview with Edward Martin about his early years working in a smithy with his father and grandfather. On an average day the family smithy could do eight horses, on a busy day up to fourteen. For him the importance of the competition is allows a man to pit his skills against another, he can observe and learn from other to raise his standards. Interview with Alison Johnson a farrier from California. She talks about how she got into the business and how it is becoming more popular with six or seven farriers in her area. For her it isn't brute strength that is important, rather the ability to get along with the animal. Edward Martin takes part in the competition and take on Scott Davison from Montana. The programme ends with a list of this year's winners. Credit: Written and Presented by Eric Robson Title: Hoi Polloi Film and Video Credit: Camera Chris Sutcliffe Credit: Sound Paul Gunn Credit: Electrician Bill Hughes, Alan Fish Credit: Production Assistant Pauline Grant Credit: Production Secretary Coreen Harvey Credit: Sound Postproduction John Overton Credit: VT Editors Amanda Baxter, Mike Pounder, Ron Buckley Credit: VT Assistant Editor Claire Storey Credit: Executive Producer Chris Potter Credit: Director Simon Lawson Credit: Producer Charles Bowden End Credit: Waterfront Productions for Tyne Tees Television © MCMLXXXIX