Mark Struthers
A career in horseshoeing seemed an obvious choice for Mark by combining his experience with horses as a rider, and his interest in the sport of show jumping. In 2003 he attended the Maryland Horseshoeing School, and shortly after graduation he started his farrier practice in Ottawa, Ontario. As a new farrier, Mark apprenticed with Terry Osborne, CJF while he built up a local clientele, and began to focus more specifically on sport horses. In 2008, he and his spouse, Canadian Show Jumper Lauren Hunkin, opened Synergy Farm in Kemptville, Ontario, specializing in training competitive hunter/jumpers. In support of equestrian sport, in 2009 Mark and Lauren offered Synergy Farm as a training facility for the uOttawa Equestrian team, working closely with the university athletes as the head coaches to grow the team from 12 riders to a robust roster of over 30, competing in both the Ontario Collegiate Equestrian Association, and the American Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Synergy Farm moved to Ashton, Ontario in 2014, where it was renamed Synergy Farm & Forge. The move to a smaller facility in Ashton precipitated the move of the uOttawa Equestrian Team to its current home at Wesley Clover Parks, but with Mark and Lauren both remaining the head coaches of the organization. Over the years Mark continued to specialize his trade, eventually shoeing exclusively hunter/jumper sport horses. At present he shoes at a number of prestigious hunter/jumper facilities throughout Ontario, providing continuous service on the road as they compete across North America. He is a co-founder and active member of the Toronto-based, Foot for Thought, a farrier-veterinarian educational organization with a focus on networking, and is Treasurer and active member of the Ontario Farrier Association.
Community has always been a strong guiding force for Mark and was fundamental in his co-founding of the EOFA. He continues to be impressed with the horse shoeing community’s compassion, whether by sharing knowledge with their peers through clinics, or helping injured farriers support themselves through recovery. He believes the community is stronger together and will continue to help facilitate the progress of the trade as a whole through ongoing education, and healthy communication.
Jess Paveley
Jess’s journey as a farrier started when she left her BSc program at Dalhousie University after her first year to complete a short apprenticeship as a horseshoer in Nova Scotia. After her apprenticeship she made the decision not to return to university, instead switching her focus, attending Kentucky Horseshoeing School and graduating in 2009. From 2010-2012 Jess took the opportunity to gain international experience by accepting an apprenticeship in Germany. She returned to Canada in 2013, opening her first practice in Nova Scotia while continuing to apprentice. At the end of 2014 she returned to her hometown of Ottawa, Ontario and opened a mixed practice for both sport and pleasure horses. After moving back home she was first introduced to Mark Struthers and Tommy MacFarlane by a mutual friend. While working with both Mark and Tommy, she built the clientele of her own practice, Hufeisen Shoeing Company, and credits them both with affecting a positive change to her shoeing style. Over the years, Jess has continued to gain international experience by operating as a horseshoer part-time in Barbados for event and dressage horses. She is highly involved in the farrier community, as an OFA Director from 2017-2018, and as the current OFA Secretary. In her free time, she is a conscientious gardener, an avid motocross participant, and not often seen without her German Shepherd, Juno.
As a co-founder of the EOFA she is passionate about providing encouragement for, and easy access to continued education. She hopes the clinic series and EOFA events will serve to bring the farrier community closer together as a whole.
Tommy MacFarlane
Tommy MacFarlane started his career as a farrier following graduation from Kemptville College in 1985, under the expert tutelage of Merle McMillan and Dan Dunwoody. Farriery as a career was initially suggested to him by a friend’s wife, and with his love of, and extensive experience with, horses the path seemed to fit. He opened his first farrier practice in his hometown of Matheson, Ontario shortly after graduation. After a few years practicing in his hometown he moved to Kelowna, British Columbia to work with Irish farrier, Martin Nolan. This was followed a couple of years later by a move back east to Sarnia, Ontario, where he opened his second multi-discipline farrier practice. His next move would place him in Arnprior, Ontario in 1991 where he began working with Lewis Forest. To this day Tommy holds Lewis as a major influence on his preferred discipline of English Sport horses, but more importantly his shoeing style. While working with Lewis, Tommy was able to build up a healthy local clientele for his current practice, Fall River Forge, and in 1995 moved to his current residence in Perth, Ontario. In his spare time he is an accomplished cook and woodworker, with an interest in working with wrought iron, and producing metal art at his home shop.
As one of the co-founders of the EOFA, he is proud of its success in bringing the farrier community closer together in a positive learning environment, and continues to be impressed by the maturity and comradery demonstrated by his peers. He hopes to continue to support ongoing education for all farriers, and to encourage pride in the trade for the benefit of the horse, and to ensure the continued success of the industry.