Newsletter

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 20th 2021 at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6.00pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

The association has made applications to increase service fees from July 1st to all the race clubs we currentley service. This is due to increases in Saturday race fields and a significant increases in trial numbers across all clubs.These fee increases will enable appropiate rates of pay to farriers that service these venues and a small increase in revenue for the association.

In the last few months there have been many enquirys regarding farriers in Bega and surrounding areas.There seems to be a lot of work down there but there are very few if any qualified farriers min these areas.It may be a good oppurtunity for anyone looking for sea change.

The Camden Show is keen to put on a major farrier competition in 2022.I have spoken to Steve Head regarding the matter and any interest in setting up and/or competing in the event please contact Steve. The association will sponsor the event in some way which is yet to be determined.

There has been some dicussion about how the Farrier industry will move forward in regards to associations.We have been down this path a number of times how ever due to egos and personal agendas it has been very difficult to gain any momentem. It may be time to approach the subject again in a different way.We have some ideas which will be discussed at the next meeting

Regards Jim Middleton secretary

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 4th March 2021 at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6.00pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

The association has donated 5 gas Pro forges and supplied 10 new stainless steel  flues at Hawkesbury TAFE.The cost and availabilty of cokeing coal has made using coke fires prohibitive in the long term.The coke fires will still be used as neccesary in the teaching of the course

It has come to our attention that Queensland TAFE has been directed by the Dept of Employment and Training QLD that anyone training an apprentice must have a CERT IV in Farriery in order to employ an apprentice.We are in discussions with University of QLD regarding this matter.The legalities of the decision are dubiuos as the trade is not licensed and the potential to stop any new apprenticeships is very real as tradesmen are unwilling or unable to take the time and the costs of upskilling.We will maintain the fight to reverse this decision.

The association has re-aquired the contract to service Inglis Sales at Warwickfarm.

 We will be discussing price rises for the race courses we service which will take effect in July 2021.

Regards Jim Middleton secretary 

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 11th November 2020 at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6.30pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

Due to covid restrictions we are finally having a meeting. Needless to say not a lot has been happening this year however we have been fortunate that the industry has been ticking along as normal.

Our main objective is still to provide service country race clubs under the association banner to ensure farriers are paid correctley and to provide a long term sustainable passive income for the association.This in turn creates a fee free membership and supports apprenticeship/TAFE schemes and incentives

Did you know that the federal government if offering apprentice incentives for new apprentices.There are payments up to 18K per annum for new apprentices available.Contact an apprenticeship provider for more information 

We have been working with Gow Gates insurance regarding specific insurances for farriers .Click on the link below if you are interested in a quote

Download the Equine Liability Proposal Form

Regards Jim Middleton  secretary 

The next meeting will be held on tuesday 23 June 2020 at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 5pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

 At the next meeting there will be nominations for office bearers. If there are are no nominations forthcoming the current committee will stand.

The Hawkesbury TAFE is still using coke fires however the coke is getting very expensive and sometimes hard to source.The association has been buying coke for the TAFE for the last few years. We will be proposing at the next meeting to donate five twin burner gas fires to service ten anvils if the TAFE covers the installation costs.This will be more cost effective and cleaner for the environment.The coke fires will remain in place and used when necessary. We hope to have these in place for 2021

Please note that if you have apprentices the award wage will increase 1.7% from 1 November 2020 as handed down by the Fair Work Commission today the 19th June 2020.

For those members who service race meetings we will be finalising guidlines for your responsibilties on race day at the next meeting.

We will also be discussing the issue of horses not being restrained behind the barriers on race days when replacing shoes.It is now the policy of RNSW that horses may not be ear or kneck lugged at the barriers. There have been several dangerous situations since this policy came into place with one farrier suffering from a broken hand and off work indefinitely.

While we are on the subject of workplace accidents Do you have insurance.It is highley recommended you obtain Workers Compensation Insurance.If your business is unable to obtain it we advise you to change your business structure so you can be properley insured. Workers Compensation is the most cost effective accident and income protection out there. The premiums are roughly 3% of you yearly salary . Structure your business to pay yourself a wage and become an employee of the company.

Its been an intereting couple of months with Covid19 however we were lucky that it never really effected the horse industry.We never stopped racing which was a blessing for many of us.

Please be reminded that this association has no membership fees,it is soley funded by race meetings , if you know of any tradesmen that are not members please get them to forward their details 

If you want your trade papers to be displyed on your profile email them to mfansw@mfansw.com.au or send a photo to 0418254950 and we will post them on the site.

Regards Jim Middleton secretary    

The next meeting will be held on the 17th February 2020 at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

At the next meeting we will be constructing a race day order of operations schedule for farrier duties on race and trial meetings. There have been a few issues at race meetings latley and we have had some race clubs ask for specific guidelines for farriers.

We have made some progress regarding country race meetings and we will put forward a proposal to sevice all country meetings in the near future.

TAFE has informed us the new Cert iv farrier course may start mid year , why mid year and not the beginning of 2021 is a question we will be asking.

The next meeting will be held on the 19th November 2019  at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

The Hawkesbury TAFE is in need of another teacher as the only one there is Amando Djuric at this time. We are trying to find anyone that may be interested in a part time postion.Please contact us if you are interested

Racing NSW is now being pro active in chasing bad debtors within the racing industry. If anyone has an issue with an outstanding debt with a licensed trainer please contact us and we will make any submissions on your behalf.

We havent heard of any upcomming seminars in the near future but let us know if there is any so we can post it on the site 

regards Jim Middleton 

The Annual General meeting MFA meeting will be on Tuesday the 3rd September 2019 at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

Hawkesbury TAFE has a new teacher in Erin Stevens .Erin is the instergator of the Australian Farriers Conference recently held in Queensland . We wish him all the best with the appointment. Amando Djuric will also make a return to the Hawkesbury TAFE in coming weeks as soon as his Cert IV is updated and will be a welcome addition to the course.

The new Cert IV in farriery should commence in 2020 . The course has a lot more theory in anatomy and business study ,students will have work very hard to complete it This will mean a lot more study time which they will not be used to however it is necessary to bring the level of the trade up to a Cert  IV qualification . There will be many issues to get through as all new courses can present problems , we encourage apprentices employers in the Sydney and provincial areas to support this course. 

We are still actively pursuing the servicing of race and trial meetings in country areas. The association needs to service these venues in order to maintain a steady income and to keep membership free to tradesmen in NSW into the future and beyond. 

It is with great sadness to hear of the passing of Dennis O`Brian from Glenn Davis . Dennis worked at Canterbury race course for many years and was the son of David O`Brian also a tradesmen. Dennis was 60 yrs old and breifly fought melanoma cancer before he passed away. Our hearts go out to his family and friends.He truely was one of the great characters of the trade in his time.

The next MFA meeting will be on Tuesday the 28th may at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

Nomination of officers will be taken at this meeting.If there are no new nominations recieved at this meeting the current committee will stand.

Please be reminded that the Scone equine clinic is holding a vet and farrier conference on July 5th.If you are a premium member we will pay half the cost of this clinic

The 2019 Australian Farriers’ Conference is being held 1-3 August at the Mantra Legends Hotel on the Gold Coast.The Australian Farriers’ Conference would like to offer our members a 5% Discount on the standard registration rate of $795. Members can enter the code FARRIERSARETOPS at checkout on our website to receive the discount. Alternatively they can contact  Courtney 0481 067 066. This promotion will run until the 30 June 2019. 

If members could find the time to send me copies of their trade papers it would be greatley appreciated.Please email to mfansw@mfansw.com.au or text me a picture to 0418254950 so we can upload them on the site. Our long term aim is to have farriers trade papers posted on both the MFA and national web sites.

The next MFA meeting will be on Tuesday the 16th April at East Court Chinese Resteraunt 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond at 6pm. Please contact us if you will be attending for catering purposes 0418254950

 There are three events coming up in 2019 that members may be intereted in .These may be viewed on the seminar/events page with the links attatched.

Premium members will recieve half price to clinics and seminars that the MFA “sponsors”  Premium membership is available for $330 annually 

We have begun to post trade papers on profiles on the website. If you can text us a picture of your trade papers or certificates to 0418254950 we will upload them to your profile 

Below are the changes for the TAFE course Australia wide. Whilst we never agreed to the Hoof care course Agri Skills seem to have disregarded industry and have bowed to the pressure of the Bare Foot trimmers. We will be looking more into this Below 

 Below is the link to view the changes

Farriery Project – Skills Impact

Regards Jim Middleton Secretary