Farrier Industry Association Newsletter

Farrier Industry Association
2201 Regency Road
Ste #704
Lexington, KY 40503

Staff Contacts
Executive Director:
Martha Jones

Member Services Manager: Margie Brangers

www.farrierindustry.org

2024 Board of Directors

President: Mark Hickcox
Vice President: Eric Nygaard
Secretary: Audrie Salsbury
Treasurer: John Harshbarger
Past President: Chuck Milne
Member: Erin Baayen
Member: Bobby Salsbury
Member:  Rob Michel

Member: Torri Broadus

I love Springtime!  Being able to watch nature come to life gives me joy!  The trees, the flowers and even seeing the weeds in my flower beds make me happy!

You should have received your MarketPlace Exhibitor Packet by snail mail and email.  Our first important date is fast approaching.  If you were a sponsor in 2023 or an early sponsor in 2024 in the amount of $1,500 or greater, you can submit your application for MarketPlace booths beginning April 5th.  MarketPlace booths will be open to ALL FIA members on April 12th.  So, get those applications filled out and ready to submit! 

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time via email or call/text me at (502) 779-1522 if you need my assistance.

FIA Progress – President’s View

April 2024

Choo-choo! We are heading down the tracks to Chattanooga. As you may have heard, AFA Convention 2024 is your last chance for a farrier meeting and trade show east of the Mississippi until at least 2027! Make this the year that you make it to convention.

In the meantime, the early year clinics and open houses keep FIA members busy across the nation. Have you noticed a bump in attendance at these events? Many members have commented that farrier events are growing in popularity. This includes AFA state chapter contests and certifications, hammer-ins, clinics, open-house events, etc. Farriers are traveling several states away for their favorite clinician and some extra hands-on learning. Please contact the FIA office if you are planning an event and we will add it to the calendar for promotion.

The FIA BOD had our last meeting on March 20. Topics covered include:

• Chattanooga MarketPlace planning update with details from the recent site visit. All systems go for AFA Convention 2024 and the location looks amazing!
• FIA MarketPlace packets to be mailed by April 1^st. Traditionally the Eastern US AFA Convention has large numbers and this will be the only AFA Convention/FIA MarketPlace before it moves to spring 2026. This means you need to register EARLY and secure your spot!
• Let’s do lunch! The annual FIA business meeting will be a lunch on Thursday this year. Look forward to a great format and information session, in addition to some cool folks in the room!
• Do you remember that sweet new FIA logo? The FIA is supporting the American Farriers Team and the World Championship Blacksmiths with a little FIA branding. Look for that FIA logo in more places during 2024!
• Reminder cards for Chattanooga 2024 will be sent to FIA members for distribution and bulletin board use.
• FIA Hall of Legends nominations are coming in and we should have several worthy candidates for our HOL members to decide between for the 2024 inductee.

The next FIA BOD meeting is May 15, 2024.

Visit www.farrierindustry.org for the FIA current events and latest updates!

Mark Hickcox CF

jmhickcox@victoryracingplate.com

The AFA would like to thank GE Forge & Tool for their commitment to our Convention Presenting Sponsorship for the past four years! Their unparalleled support has allowed us to create a better onsite experience for farrier attendees in so many ways – from new educational events to extra help at registration, and even to higher quality giveaways, every dollar they committed made our event better.  We are so very thankful for all they’ve done to support the Convention, and in particular, the farriers we all serve!   

That said, this year the Presenting Sponsorship is back open to anyone who’s interested! GE has decided to take Chattanooga “off”, which means that this outstanding, high-visibility opportunity is available! If this sounds like your moment – we want to talk to you! The list of benefits is LONG and we’re happy to explain any of them to you – so reach out to us today if you’re interested!!  Please contact Martha Jones for more information.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS!!

HALL OF LEGENDS NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED

Do you have a nominee for the 2024 Hall of Legends that you feel should be honored for his/her service to the industry and to our Association?  Nominees may be living or deceased. 

Please be sure that your business agrees to this nomination and that only one nominee is submitted per business.  All nominations are due to the FIA office by April 1, 2024.

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Martha Jones.

Thank you for your consideration, and for helping us recognize our influential members in this special way!

Click on this link to access the nomination form:

FIA Hall of Legends Nomination Form.pdf

 OR 

Hall of Legends Online Nomination Form

DON'T FORGET - NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN APRIL 1, 2024.

We are so very, very fortunate for all of our members. 

Thank you to all of you for supporting us!

Welcome back to our renewed members since our last newsletter.

Equithotics, Inc. - Melinda Balint

J.B. Aluminum Bar Shoe Co. - John Koeger

If you know of a company that you think might be interested in becoming a member of our Association, please send them this application:  2024 FIA Membership Form.pdf

Would you like to receive some "Save The Date" postcards to distribute to your customers to promote the AFA Convention?  Simply email me with a number of postcards you would like to receive and we will drop them in the mail to you. 

IMPORTANT MARKETPLACE DEADLINES

April 5 - MarketPlace registration opens for FIA members who were a 2023 AFA or FIA sponsor, or who are a 2024 early commitment sponsor, in the amount of $1,500 or greater for either year.

April 12 - FIA MarketPlace Registration opens for ALL FIA Members.

April 26 - FIA MarketPlace Registration open for anyone interested in exhibiting.

May 31 - Booth assignments will be released.

September 3 - Registration Deadline for guaranteed listing in the printed program.

 September 3 - Last day to cancel your booth space and receive a 50% refund. Exhibitors canceling after this date forfeit 100% of the total rental.

October 11 - Deadline to submit names for the attendee badges.

October 2 - You are welcome to still exhibit if space is available, a late fee may be added to regular booth rates.

MarketPlace print document: 

2024_AFA_Convention_Exhibitor_Packet_Final_For_Print_Spreads.pdf

Online 2024 MarketPlace Document:

https://www.cognitoforms.com/FarrierIndustryAssociation/_2024FIAMarketPlaceExhibitorApplication

2024 Sponsorship Packet:

2024_AFA_Convention_Sponsorship_Form_rd1.pdf

2024_AFA_Convention_Sponsorship_Packet_Final_For_Print_Full_Spread.pdf

Young Chuck moved to Texas and bought a donkey from a farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.

The next day the farmer drove up and said, “Sorry Chuck, but I have some bad news. The donkey died."

Chuck replied, “Well, then just give me my money back.”

The farmer said, “Can’t do that. I went and spent it already.”

Chuck said, “Okay, then, just bring me the dead donkey.”

The farmer asked, “What ya gonna do with a dead donkey?”

Chuck said, “I’m going to raffle him off.”

The farmer said, “You can’t raffle off a dead donkey!”

Chuck said, “Sure I can. Watch me. I just won’t tell anybody he’s dead.”

A month later, the farmer met up with Chuck and asked, “What happened with that dead donkey?”

Chuck said, “I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars apiece, less the $100 I gave you and made a profit of $898.00.”

The farmer said, “Didn’t anyone complain?”

Chuck said, “Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back.”

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