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Silver Anniversary Turns Golden For World Championship Blacksmith’ Competition

Record number of competitors, countries and rooky participants meant a well-earned win.

July 21, 2004

In addition to the winners buckle and a trophy, the 2004 Champion Blacksmith received a 14 karat solid gold horseshoe valued at $18,000 Cdn crafted specially for the 25th anniversary of the competition (18 Kb) - Photo Credit: Kathryn Boothby

Calgary, Alberta --- The Silver Anniversary of the World Champion Blacksmiths’ competition turned gold on July 12th as a 14 karat solid gold shoe, designed by Brooke Baillie and recently appraised at $18,000, was awarded to now three-time World Champion Blacksmith, Darren Bazin of Kettering, England.

Records were shattered in this anniversary year with 108 competitors vying for the title – a 35% increase over the previous year. Further records were established as 20 different countries participated including Denmark, Finland, England, Scotland, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Venezuela, Australia, and France – many for the first time. Forty competitors were new to the championships – a significant increase in rooky participants.

“This was the absolutely the most fierce and most skilled competition in all our 25 years of hosting the World’s,” said Marshall Iles, Chair of the Calgary Stampede Blacksmith Committee. “The competition was won by millimeters with the top five contestants within just a half a point of each other.”

Said thirty-three year-old Bazin who came from behind to take the championship, “I just can’t put it into words – you practice and try as hard as you can, and all you can do is hope for a little luck on the day and I certainly had that.” Bazin also took the title in 2000 and 2002, “I made a pledge to myself two years ago that I wanted to be here for the twenty-fifth anniversary. If you want to be the World Champion, to say you’re the best and compete against the best, I thought this would be the best year ever – it was.” Bazin found the new format challenging as the creative portion, which has become an integral part of the overall program, is not his primary strength. “It’s probably the furthest I’ve been behind going into the final. I had not had a particularly good three days before the final, just enough to scrape into the top ten. I had to rely on my shoeing skills and fortunately that portion went well.

Judges for the 25th anniversary World Blacksmiths’ Competition were six-time champion, Grant Moon of Wales and five-time champion, Bob Marshall of Canada.

Gold and Silver 25th Anniversary World Championship Blacksmith’s Buckle (13 Kb) Photo Credit: Kathryn Boothby Breakdown of Results:

World Champion Blacksmith: Darren Bazin, Kettering, England

Reserve World Champion Blacksmith: Mark Milster, Oklahoma, USA

Horseshoeing Champion: Darren Bazin, Kettering, England

Forging Champion: Austin Edens, Texas, USA

Creative Forging Champion: Jim Keith, New Mexico, USA

Top Canadian: James Findler, Surrey, British Columbia



Mustad was the primary sponsor for the 25th anniversary World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition.

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