Newsletter

The next meeting will be held on the 20th of May 2026. Venue will be Inglis Riverside Stables Warwick Farm at 6pm meeting will start at 6.30pm.If you wish to attend please contact Jim Middleton 0418254950 asap for catering purposes

Nomination of officers will be held at this meeting, membership applications and other general business.

We regret to report that Mr Peter Stewart form Merriwa has passed. Peter was a long time and life member of the association. Peter was a big contributor to the farriery industry servicing the Hunter Valley and also was a TAFE teacher for many years at Scone. Peter was a highly respected tradesmen in the farrier world. Our thought are with his family and friends. The association contributed to his sendoff held at Merriwa sports club with over 150 in attendance. Peter will be sorely missed.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday the 9th of October 2025 at 6 pm Barrel and Ashes restaurant 122 Windsor Street Richmond. Please advise if you wish to attend, please text Jim Middleton secretary 0418 254950

Regarding the issue of TAFE signing off apprentices on completion of Cert IV certificate. We had an online meeting with TAFE and here is what we know now

When an apprentice completes a Cert IV at TAFE the administrators claim that they send an email to the employer to advise them that the apprentice has completed their certificate IV and TAFE will deem their apprenticeship completed. If the employer does not reply to the email from TAFE advising that the apprentice should not be signed off TAFE will sign the apprentice off for their Trade Certificate. Sounds ridiculous but this what has been happening.

Our advice is that the employer should write to the TAFE before they finish the last year of Cert IV and advise the TAFE that the apprentice, in the employer’s opinion should complete their indentureship as the apprentice does not have enough skills to be signed off. Alternatively, the employer should enrol the apprentice into TAFE in the second year of the apprentices indentureship and complete the Cert IV TAFE certificate in the last year of their indentureship. If you miss the email TAFE sends and you do not reply to it be prepared for your apprentice to walk away without completing the four years they signed up for.

The association is planning a meeting with several employers and ex TAFE teachers to discuss issues regarding TAFE moving forward. Concerns regarding how TAFE can deliver the course more efficiently and more transparently for the better outcomes for both employers and apprentices.

At the last meeting nominations of officers were held. As there were no new nominations or resignations submitted the current committee will stand for the next financial year 2025-2026

President Malcolm Hunt Snr Vice Presidents William Wright and Kirk Nicholson Sec/Treasurer Jim Middleton Committee Graeme Morrison, Armando Djuric and James Watt

We would encourage members to be more involved with the running of the association as we are getting near the time that the above committee may not be able to give their service for an extended length of time. We need some fresh faces to take the association into the future.

Regards Jim Middleton secretary

The next meeting will be held on Thursday the 26th of February 2025 at 5.30 pm East court Chinese Restaurant ground floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond. Please advise if you wish to attend, please text Jim Middleton sec 0418 25495

The association has acquired workers compensation insurance for race day farriers who service race meetings and trials that the association has agreements with. This insurance has been very difficult to acquire for those farriers who do not operate as a company as the workers compensation system does not cater for sole traders, and the accident/salary insurance is not only expensive but also has restrictive conditions on insurance in the event of a workplace accident. Moving forward this insurance should enable the association to acquire more race clubs to service. This will future proof income for the association and provide employment for farriers in country areas and insure they are paid appropriately for their services with the added security of being insured whilst servicing race and trial meetings.

The association has notified race clubs of price rises to race clubs as of 1st July 2025. There was some resistance from a minority of clubs however once the rises were explained to them there has been agreements made. The new rates will be notified to farriers who service these meetings in July 2025.

Nominations for officers will be taken at the next meeting on the 26th June. If there are no nominations the committee will stand unless there is written resignation from any committee member.

Regards Jim Middleton Secretary

The next meeting will be held on Thursday the 20th of February 2025 at 6.30pm East court Chinese Restaurant ground floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond. Please advise if you wish to attend, please text Jim Middleton sec 041825495

This meeting will be discussing safety issues for farriers servicing race meetings and sales Specifically we will be discussing the disclosure of trainers and staff regarding whether or not the horse has been drugged in the past to be shod. This has been happening more frequently and members who service these meetings are being injured as a result of servicing dangerous animals that have been drugged to handle them without the race day farriers knowledge. We will be notifying stewards regarding this issue so that something can be put in place to prevent our members walking into a dangerous situation.

If any members know that any horse has been sedated/or is known to be dangerous that they service is attending races or trials, you must notify either the farrier on duty at that meeting or inform the stewards on the day. You can also notify the association if contact cannot be made to the above. The following article is relevant to this issue.

We have been speaking with the team at Safe Industries Australia (SIA) about the importance of workplace safety for farriers and small ag businesses. They have some great insights and resources that can help improve safety and compliance in our industry.

I highly recommend checking out this article they’ve put together: https://www.safeindustriesaustralia.com.au/safety-for-small-ag-businesses/If you’re looking for guidance or support in improving safety practices in your business, I encourage you to reach out to SIA—they’re more than happy to help.

Regards Jim Middleton secretary ph 0418254950

The next meeting will be held on Thursday the 1thth of July 2024 at 5.30pm East court Chinese Restaurant 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond. This will be the Annual General Meeting for 2024. Please advise if you wish to attend, text Jim Middleton sec 0418254950

At the last meeting in May 2024 nominations of officers were held. As there were no new nominations or resignations submitted the current committee will stand for the next financial year

President Malcolm Hunt Snr Vice Presidents William Wright and Kirk Nicholson Sec/Treasurer Jim Middleton Committee Graeme Morrison, Armando Djuric and James Watt

We would encourage members to be more involved with the running of the association as we are getting near the time that the above committee may not be able to give their service for an extended length of time. We need some fresh faces to take the association into the future.

Please note that wheeled trolleys are not to be used in the horse stall area at race meetings and trials. Large stall jacks are not to be used in the actual race day stalls and are not permitted on the course proper at any time behind the barrier. There have been some incidents in recent times whereby horses have been impacted and near misses to injury on race days both in the stalls and behind the barrier. This is a safety and horse welfare issue. The new guidelines are effective immediately.

Peter Stewart of Merriwa was granted life membership to the association for his services to the industry. Peter is currently recovering from a stroke and should be home very soon. We wish him well.

The new constitution has been adopted for the association and is now available, if members would like a copy, please email Jim Middelton with your details to mfansw@mfansw.com.au and we will forward you one. We may post it on the website in the near future under a secure heading as we do not wish for it to be made public.

Regards Jim Middleton secretary

The next meeting will be held on Thursday the 23rd of May 2024 at 5.30pm East court Chinese Restaurant 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond. Please advise if you wish to attend, text Jim Middleton sec 0418254950

The new Tasmania Farriers Association has had their first meeting and officers elected. This is a big step forward for the farriers in Tasmania and we wish them well for the future. I would like to thank Amando Djuric for his help and time during this process. It was a bit of work but well worth the effort and the Tasmanian farriers and Tas Racing are very thankful of the MFANSW to get to this outcome. Their next step is to service all of Tas Racing race meetings and set up a business platform similar to ours. We will be assisting them with their proposal.

The Association will again be sponsoring the apprentice competitions at Tamworth with vouchers to the winners to buy tools of the trade.

The new MFANSW constitution has all but been completed and will be passed at the May 2024 meeting and then published.

The next meeting will be taking nominations of officers for the new financial year 2024-2025

Regards Jim Middleton Secretary

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday the 21st of February 2024 at 6.00pm East court Chinese Restaurant 1st floor 144-148 Windsor Street Richmond. Please advise if you wish to attend, text Jim Middleton sec 0418254950

At the next meeting we will be discussing the changing of the association constitution as it is out of date and many rules are no longer relevant. A new constitution has been written and will be presented at the February meeting. If the meeting passes the new constitution the document will be posted for members to view online and at the following meeting will vote to have the new constitution implemented from that date.

Discussions regarding amalgamation with the Professional Farriers Association NSW are continuing which has been very positive from both associations.

We continue to help Tasmanian farriers form a new association which should go ahead in April 2024. We have made several trips to Tasmania and will continue to do so in the coming months as we set up Raceday services and TAFE course for the Tasmanian farriers through TAS Racing.

There remains to be much speculation regarding Scone and Hawkesbury TAFE farrier courses however there has been no firm decision as what direction either facility has in mind at this time.

Regards Jim Middleton secretary