SC Rewind: The Blacksmith Shop

In the current edition of Rewind Robert Smith goes back in time to recall the role of the oft-forgotten blacksmith trade and its key role in harness racing. This week he is asking for some input from the reading audience in assembling a list of people who have worked as horse shoers, blacksmiths or farriers; take your choice.

The rhythmic sound of the blacksmith's hammer hitting on an anvil was once a common sound in towns across the land. With the gradual disappearance of horses from our society and the changing times, that melodic tune is no longer heard. The early history of most settlements across North America list blacksmith's shops among the earliest buildings that sprang up in virtually every settlement. Today few are still standing but their presence was once of great importance in the building of our society. The men who made their living forging iron and shoeing horses were valued citizens.

In the small town where I grew up we still had two blacksmith shops.


This great old photo captures the yesteryear scene inside Harper Rennick's blacksmith shop which was located in Shawville, Quebec for many years. (Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography fonds, National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives)

 


Blacksmith Harper Rennick stands proudly in front of his shop started by his father in 1914. Young Harper left school at the age of 17 to carry on in his father's trade. (Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography fonds, National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives)

Blacksmiths have long been an important and essential part of harness racing but also the ones often forgotten or at least overlooked. When a horse is foaled its owner is congratulated. When he or she goes on to race and perhaps win, the owner along with the driver and trainer come in for praise. Even the groom is allowed in the winner's circle picture and might get a 10 spot for doing such a good job! But who shod the horse, trimmed their feet and often provided advice for horses with less than perfect feet? Unfortunately often no one gets any credit for any of those tasks!

A BARGAIN AT THE BLACKSMITH SHOP

This little "ditty" came to me many years ago and in those days it was printed on a sheet of paper; no emails or "twitters" back then. The man who sent it was one of the best our sport has ever known, and his name was Delvin Miller. The original I can't find, but the message has been committed to memory.

It seems that a certain horseman complained every time he brought a horse to the blacksmith shop and said the "Smithy" was charging way too much. One day in his own defense, the Blacksmith offered him an alternative pricing scheme. In those days the old shoes each took eight nails, so keep that in mind. He said "How be I charge you a penny for the first nail and then just double it for each of the next 31 nails?" The fellow stepped outside and did a little quick calculating. He reentered the shop and said "I guess that comes to $1.32 for the first shoe...is that the way you figure it?" The blacksmith nodded in the affirmative.

"Well it's Goodbye to your high prices!!" and the blacksmith began to tack on the shoes. Here is how the rest of the "Bargain" shoeing job played out.

Shoe #1: .01; .02; .04; .08; .16; .32; .64; $1.28

Shoe #2: $2.56; $5.12; $10.24; $20.48; $40.96; $81.92; $163.84; $327.68

Shoe #3: $655.36; $1,310.72; $2,621.44; $5,242.88; $10,485.76; $20,971.52; $41,943.04; $83,886.08

Shoe #4: $167,772.16; $335,544.32; $671,088.64; $1,342,177.20; $2,684,354.40; $5,368,798.80; $10,737,417.60; $21,474,834.20

Here is a little story that I copied from an old issue of Northeast Harness News, a once popular but now defunct New England harness racing journal. I found it quite interesting.

George "Buddy" Reed, a longtime New England harness driver, began his career before World War One. His father sent him as a young boy to the blacksmith shop to have a pair of farm work horses shod. As luck would have it, a man with a good looking speed horse happened by and Buddy swapped a work horse for him. The jubilant young man soon found that his father was less than pleased and informed Buddy that he had to pay him for the work horse. Coincidentally, the local fair just happened to be in progress and Buddy entered his new horse and won his first race. That beginning launched a career that spanned more than 65 years in the sport of racing.


This unknown blacksmith goes mobile and visits his clients when requested. (Northeast Harness News)

A LIST OF BLACKSMITHS

As mentioned earlier many blacksmiths have spent their entire careers working in virtual obscurity. Despite the important work they do, their names seldom reach the racing public. I am going to ask Rewind readers to send in the name (as many as you wish) of your favourite "Smithy" or of anyone you can think of that has served in that capacity. To start the proverbial "ball rolling " I am going to offer up a very short and random list of people that I have personally met or known (or heard of). This is a chance to mention your local blacksmith regardless of where you live.

  • Bob Harris - Originally from London, Ont., later spent many years in the Windsor area including resident blacksmith at Windsor Raceway

  • Bill MacMillan - Ancaster, Ont.

  • Ross Siddall & son Ryan - Long associated with Bob McIntosh stable LaSalle, Ont.

  • Leon Siple - From Norwich, Ont., spent close to 30 years operating his own blacksmith shop at Woodstock, Ont. Continues to offer his shoeing services to a few customers.

Quote For The Week: "A cow is of the bovine ilk; one end moo, the other end milk."

Who Is It?

Can you identify these two gents and perhaps identify where they are located in this photo? (Toronto Star photo)

Where Is It?

Can you identify the location of this shop where many outstanding horses have been (and continue to be) shod over the years? (Author's collection)

Comments

This week's pictures presented little challenge to our experts. The top photo was taken in 1980 during the historic visit of Niatross to Greenwood. It features Canadian born horseman and gentleman Clint Galbraith chatting with resident blacksmith Gerry Bergeron. The lower photo was correctly identified by several people as the blacksmith shop at the farm of Bob McIntosh in LaSalle where resident blacksmith Ryan Siddall daily plies his trade.
I am going to add a few more that come to mind. Almer Holmes, Larry Gibbons, Larry Grineage, Harley Harrison.
I would like to thank the many people who sent in the names of their favourite blacksmith. We didn't name them all, but we got a pretty good start.

Mr. Harris was not only a good blacksmith he should have been paid part time as an outrider. Only man I knew that could stop a loose horse by a line and get them to stop; most people got pulled under. I watched Mr. Harris do this multiple times. Sonny

ps I thought I died and went to heaven when I was given a shop at Windsor (Hall of Fame endorsments). What a gold mine. I was the only Canadian shoer there.
Closest to the Paddock was Allen Tomlinson (MI), me, Pat Haynes (MI), Joe Meteiviay (MI), and around the corner Geo. Wright & son.

Professional Ontario Standardbred Farriers can't be listed without the father son team of Earnie & Dwain Murphy from Aylmer, On. Earnie was a true Blacksmith. They plied their trade at WFR from opening day til forever. Dwain later was contract shoer for the Walltyme Stable though the hayday.
I apprenticed under them for 4 or 5 yrs. (great experience and times)
But I must mention that all of our success came from the greatest of all time Wm. H. Herbert! it was a privilege to be under his wing.
one man's opinion.

Some that i remember Gaetan Hebert, Ron Hill, Steve Hill, Gerry Bergeron and his son Serge Bergeron, Jack Lacroix and his Son Luke, All the Murphy Family out of London pretty sure there was about 3 of them working out of the second floor at the old barn in London. Sonny

My friend, Conrad Leber owner of 2 Grand Circuit horses over the years, who is now 96 years old, carries a photo in his wallet of when he was 3 years old, taken in his uncle's blacksmith shop in Romania.

Some I remember.
Lloyd Stewart, Flamboro (already mentioned)
Larry Clarke at Cloverdale.
Harris Toole at the old Regina Track and Flamboro area.
Vern Goodale, Mohawk.

The first picture is Clint Galbraith and Gerry Bergeon. Some blacksmiths that were very good were Gerry Bergeon and Jack Lacroix at Mohawk Raceway and Lloyd Stewart at Flamboro Downs

Blacksmiths:
Henri Portelance - Connaught Park
Freddie Dale - Ottawa Valley - died too soon
Paul Chapman - met him at Pinehurst, NC - later met his dad Cliff at a horse sale in Truro, NS

Who is it? - looks like Clint Galbraith - shoes for Niatross perhaps?

The first pic is Clint Galbraith with OJC smithy Gerry Bergeron, two legends

still stumped on the second

Who is It? Clint Galbraith and Gerry Bergeron at Greenwood Raceway when Niatross raced there in 1980.
Where is it? Robert McIntosh farm in LaSalle, Ontario. Resident blacksmith is Ryan Siddall.
Windsor area blacksmiths that I was aware of are, Jim Riley, Tim Koelln, Paul (Red) MaClachlen, Paul Adams, Andrew Deleersnyder, Mike Di Paulo resident blacksmith for the George Robinson stable, Frank Reid, Joel Dick, Butch Rivard and John Mayer.

Clint Galbraith getting Niatross shod by Gerry Bergeron. I'm sure it's west so Windsor area?

One person who sticks out to me is Tom Gratton. With his shop around Gores Landing north of Cobourg he was the Blacksmith for many horses around Cobourg, Port Hope, Peterborough area. Many of his clientele raced at Morrow Park in Peterborough, along with the Major Racetracks in Ontario.

Another blacksmith from around Peterborough was a man with the last name of Wellman.

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