Master Farrier to Be Featured at Texas Blacksmith Conference This Saturday

The Texas Blacksmith Conference will feature a Farrier for the 2024 Event this Saturday at TCHCC. Riley Kirkpatrick was born and raised in western Oregon. He grew up around people that where building things for themselves and their occupations. “Thankfully my high school had a great trades program where I fell in love with metal” Riley states. During and after high school, he worked in fabrication but soon realized he wanted to do something different. Since growing up with horses it seemed like horse shoeing school was a good mix of metal and horses. Riley learned to forge and has been on this journey since. “I enjoy each part of this trade and like being a student of it”, he says.

In 2010, Kirkpatrick graduated from Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. Since then, he’s become certified through the American Farriers Association and is an active member of World Championship Blacksmiths. In 2018, he competed on the Category 2 Team at Stoneleigh.

Riley Kirkpatrick currently lives in the coastal foot hills in Sheridan, Oregon, with his wife, daughter and dogs. Riley says “Most of my time is spent continuing my education with competitions and clinics. The few days I’m not in the shop, I enjoy hunting, fishing, and traveling.

The Texas Blacksmith Conference is held in conjunction with the Hume L. Baker Texas Antique Gas Engine Reunion and will take place Jan. 26-27 at the Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center, 250 West Fairgrounds Road, in La Grange. Grounds open to the public for early viewing on Friday at noon and Saturday at 9 a.m. The event will include Engine displays and demonstrations, blacksmith demonstrations and vendors, live auction featuring blacksmith tools and knives, and live music throughout the day by Annie Rost and Mike Stroup. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the Fairgrounds, adjacent to the Czech Center.