The President

This question in this installment concerns the Presidency of the Association.

I recently learned that the President serves a one-year term. Would continuity be improved if the term were two or three years? It is almost impossible to implement ideas in one year.

J.J. Trapani

East Islip New York

Actually, a President serves four years in four separate capacities. First, he or she is elected to the office of Vice President. The subsequent election to the office of President Elect affirms the fact that the membership wishes that person to serve as President of the Association, which is the following year. After serving one year as President then the following year as Immediate Past President, this provides a lot of time to implement ideas. This is what I have called the “Order of Ascension,” which is a simple way to identify how a person passes through each rank of the Presidency, each level having not so much more power as it does responsibility.

For as long as I have been a member of the AFA, the bylaws have stated that the board calls the shots and it is the President’s job to make sure what the board said to do actually gets done. Past President McClendon encapsulated this quite beautifully during the 2012 midyear board meeting:

“If the board wants me to drive a truck load of duck feathers off a cliff, that is what I am supposed to do. At that point (the Board) has made the decision, it is (the Executive Committee’s) job to acquire the truck and the feathers and eventually up to me to get the truck off the cliff. I am not permitted by the bylaws of this association to question your logic as to the order; it is to see it through to fruition.” 

All of that said, it is true that everyone still looks to the AFA President for leadership and ideas even though that power is actually at the regional level and empowers the membership more than the President. 

Got a question about anything having to do with the American Farriers Association? Send it to us at: asktheafa@gmail.com 

Answers to Certification Questions we have received

First and foremost I wish to apologize that this edition of the blog is a few days late. I caught a horrible cold while on my trip to California and spent the time I would worked on this resting so I could finish out my horses. That said, when I started this blog I expected to be flooded with Certification questions. While not a flood these are the ones we have received either recently or in the instance of Darby Holden's question, repeatedly.

On an end note I want to extend a personal wish to each and everyone of you for a joyous holiday and a happy new year. 

T

Why is the certified farrier shoe boards not graded in front of everyone to see? Is it not supposed to be a learning experience?

Chris Attkisson

According to Certification Chair Greg Burdette, sometimes they are. “When and where the shoe boards are judged is up to the individual examiner and depends on several factors. Mainly it is a time consideration. If it works out where there can be open judging of the shoe board there is nothing to prohibit an examiner from doing so.” Burdette said. “I do know that there are examiners who prefer that the judging is open and do so when it is possible. That said it still boils down to time management and getting the entire test completed.” He continued.

Burdette also emphasized; “I don’t want people to get confused by this point. Every shoe board is gone over with their respective candidate, whether that is aside or in front of the other candidates. “

Why doesn't the AFA allow candidates make shoes with concave???

Darby Holden Via the “Dear AFA” Facebook page

According to Past Certification Chair and current Certification Committee member Dennis Manning- “The decision to not permit the use of concave section material had to do with the additional or higher skill required for the placement of nail holes in flat stock.”

From an administrative aspect - Leadership has never been asked to even investigate the different sections that would be allowed for certification. In other words; there has never been a demand to change from what is currently available.

Dear Sir,

 I have been trying to acquire information on the Educator's endorsement for some time now. Could you please assist me in at least procuring an outline of the test please? 

 Many thanks, 

 David J. Barron CJF, APF

(updated 3/21/14)

There is actually procedure concerning the Educator Endorsement it is located beginning on page 30 of the Association's Certification Guide. I regret the answer that previously occupied this space and offer my personal apologies to Mr. Barron. 
PDF formats of the Certification Guide are free to AFA members upon request. You can request them at info@americanfarriers.org 

(Post Prepared by Thomas N. Trosin with Certification Committee) 

Next Post: January 11,2014- The Board of Directors

Progress- One Question at a time

When I got the idea to start this blog it was with the intent that it wouldn't only answer questions, but it might create progress in the association. Further it might remind leadership of things we should be doing. The following question is perfect.

This installment’s question comes from long time AFA supporter Ken Norman.

Tom:

 Since when did the AFA start giving out member pins? I've been a member since 1991, Member number 3001 and I've never gotten one.

 Ken

You can’t imagine that anyone in current leadership actually knows when the AFA started giving out membership pins, but it’s been awhile.  The first time I saw a membership pin it was at the first Portland Convention, I walked up to a table with Jamie Guignion where a volunteer sat with a box of pins and a list. He stated his name and the volunteer looked at the list and handed him an appropriate pin. Others had preceded and followed accordingly. I never gave it much thought until I got Ken’s email.

For the record the pins are:5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and now 40 year pins, but the fact is that they are distributed and that the members who have stuck in there deserve them. That said it is the lack of policy at the Association level that has the distribution of them inexact.

What’s happening now- Since the office staff has learned of this question, they are going through the association record and seeing who has gotten pins and who hasn't, they have added a field to your membership record to note if your pins have been distributed and at the time of this writing preparing a mailing of pins to those members who have earned them. Staff has also drafted office policy that will go before the Board of Directors for approval in Reno this February, to distribute pins with future membership renewals. That said the question of membership pins is not finalized.

While, I am sure that there was a decision made in the past to have the pins, unfortunately that decision wasn’t noted in the corporate record book. Fortunately because we have these pesky bylaws and policies to protect the Association, the board will have to approve the pins and a method of distribution. This should take place in Reno as well.

The Next installment of this blog will be December 21^st- Certification questions we have received to this point

(This post Prepared by Thomas N. Trosin, with assistance of Staff) 

Welcome to the AFA Answer blog

Hello and welcome to the American Farriers Associations official answer blog. Yes I realize that the joint looks a bit barren at the moment but we just moved in. I haven't had the time to get all the furniture in as of yet. 

In 2013 the Executive Committee of the American Farriers Association (hence forth AFA or Association) decided that the Association needed a site where we could give "official" answers to questions farriers had about the AFA. The decision was that a blog was the best idea, it is simple to manage and hey, it is within our budget. This first post will layout what the association can do and what questions it will answer. 

First and foremost we will not entertain gossip. If you want to know why a person left a position or why so and so didn't place higher in a contest- ask them. 

Second, the current goal is to answer one question a month. I know; it seems a bit under the mark, but what the farrier world needs to realize is that with the exception of one full time and part time employee the AFA is entirely staffed by working farriers. That and it takes time to draft answers, to make sure that they are indeed the position of the Association and get them posted. As time, weather, schedules permit there could well be more posts a month. One thing that the AFA does habitually is to over promise and we don’t want to do that here.

Next, the answers you will find here will come from people who have direct involvement in the question. While Thomas N. Trosin is the manager of the blog he will not be answering all the questions. While he can answer several general questions concerning the Association, he’s not going to answer them all. For example; in the instance you have a question concerning Certification, expect an answer from the Certification Committee Chair or another member of the committee. The blog will strive to make certain that farriers get accurate answers to their questions.

Lastly, the answers contained here are the answers we have the day of the blog post and may change as time passes. The goal of the association is to continue to grow and provide educational opportunities to all those who wish the AFA’s help at becoming the best farrier that they personally can. The methods the AFA employs today to reach those goals could well be obsolete in the future. Much like shoeing a horse, the worst answer the association can give is “always” or “never”. That is not to say that the Association will not hold its ground. But the only thing that is certain is change.

I think that about covers it. So now it is up to you. Got a question? We have several ways you can get it to us. While you can email your questions to info@americanfarriers.org, we would prefer that you email them to asktheafa@gmail.com. You can also ask questions on our facebook page.

While the genesis for this project came from the facebook page “Dear AFA” and we do watch that page, we can’t guarantee that we will be able to answer questions asked there.  

(Post prepared by Thomas N. Trosin)