Online Catalogue last updated 31st of January 2016
Sparks from the Smiddy tells the life story of David Wilson - a 6th generation blacksmith and world champion farrier. It includes details of David's memories of annoying his father as a child by nailing horse shoes to the smiddy floor, his first experience of trying to catch a horse, the hard work he put into learning his trade along with picking up and running the family business. It follows the highs and lows of his earliest competitions through to his ultimate win at the 1985 World Championships in Calgary, Canada and concludes with the tales of the travel opportunities that his work and successes opened up to him including meeting the Princess Royal in 1995.
Told in a humourous yet modest style and including 60 of David's photos, Sparks from the Smiddy sheds light on this previously unreported aspect of working and shoeing horses, helping readers understand the skills of a farrier and giving a nostalgic look bak over this important part of rural life.
Code No. 017046, 144 pages, ISBN 9781910456057, $32.00