Meet Jim

Jim Blurton, World Champion Farrier 2005, has been a practising farrier for over 40 years. His father was a farrier and encouraged him from an early age to follow in his footsteps. Jim served a thorough apprenticeship under his father’s watchful eye and was taught skills gleaned from over 40 years. At the age of 18 Jim knew he wanted to be the best in the world and started competing in local competitions. It wasn’t long before he quickly established himself as one of the best farriers’ in his local district.

By the age of 20 Jim was winning national competitions and representing Wales in international competitions. In fact Jim represented his country for 35 years in home internationals and world team events. He has won over 200 competitions worldwide. Jim finally achieved his dream of becoming the best in the world in 2005. After nearly 15 years of regularly finishing in the top 5 at the world championships Jim was crowned world champion in Calgary, July 2005.

After moving to Forden, near Welshpool, Jim started to expand the farrier business, taking on apprentices and qualified staff. In the last 40 years over 40 apprentices have learnt their trade with Forden Farriers, many of them going on to compete internationally. Jim now employs 10 farriers and covers an area from Cheshire down to Gloucester. He shoes for some of the countries most prestigious and successful Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage yards and is regularly asked to consult for veterinary practices.

In the early 80s Jim started making his own tools to help him improve his skills, the quality of these were recognised by the Delta Horseshoe Company based in America, and this was the impetus that Jim needed to make the tools commercially available. Today, Jim Blurton farrier tools are exported worldwide, available through an international network of distributors or via our online shop.

The business has grown year on year and Jim is now widely regarded as the UK’s number one manufacturer of quality farrier tools. The tools are now exported to over 70 countries and Jim now has the most comprehensive range of quality tools on offer worldwide.

Jim Blurton Specialist Horseshoes was established in 2007 and has very quickly become the world’s leading supplier of quality remedial shoes. The launch of the revolutionary Bar Shoes has seen Jim’s reputation as a worldwide expert on remedial shoeing and shoemaking enhanced further. Jim is constantly designing new shoes to help horses recover from the various stresses of competition and everyday problems.

Alongside this successful business Jim is regularly asked to run clinics in the UK, Europe, USA, Middle and Far East. In 2012 he was honoured to be the lead farrier for the 2012 London Olympics team, and was invited back to take up the same role in the Rio Olympics 2016. With his reputation as an expert in remedial shoeing and shoemaking Jim is much in demand by equine establishments worldwide, and is an acclaimed Equine Podiatrist. He also runs consultancy clinics on shoemaking and foot rehabilitation.