I get the honor or introducing you to expert farrier, horseman, pickup-man, and longtime friend, Robert McClaran.  This episode is filled with personal stories, professional insights, and a deep appreciation for the craft and community of farriery.  We talk about the cold plunge routine and its benefits, Robert's experiences with picking up broncs at rodeos, and the profound impact of community and mentorship in his life. The best seat in the house at a rodeo is on a horse in the middle of the arena, but right now, it is wherever you are sitting to enjoy our little visit.  We are cleared for take off.

This episode is about Shearer Wludyka, a Heartlander from Anderson, South Carolina, who attended Heartland Horseshoeing School in 2013. Shearer reflects on her journey, detailing her challenging childhood in foster care and how she pursued higher education, eventually earning a degree in graphic design. Despite working corporate jobs, she found her passion in horseshoeing. Shearer shares her experiences building a successful farrier business, her approach to therapeutic shoeing, and her aspirations to start a horseshoeing school. She emphasizes the importance of hard work, people skills, and ongoing learning in her career. You are going to get a lot out of this conversation.  We are cleared for takeoff.

Chris Gregory sits down with his son Cody Gregory, FWCF with honors, to discuss Cody's journey in the industry, their shared history, and insights into successful parenting and goal-setting. They talk about how Cody started as a young farrier, his experiences growing up around horseshoeing, and his journey to achieving his Fellowship with honors from the Worshipful Company of Farriers. The discussion also covers Cody's experiences starting a tool company, improving manufacturing processes, and his approach to homeschooling and raising children. The conversation emphasizes the importance of perseverance, goal-setting, and continuous learning, whether in their craft, personal development, or parenting.

In this episode of 'Final Approach with Chris Gregory,' Chris interviews Ross Zeiger, a technically skilled and knowledgeable guest discovered through YouTube. Ross shares his background, growing up in Washington State, attending the University of Washington, and joining the Marine Corps. He discusses his experiences in flight school, a stint as an Air Support Control Officer, and deployments in Okinawa, Thailand, Philippines, and Korea, where he met his wife. The discussion covers a variety of topics including their stay in Mexico City, his adventurous eating habits, and travel experiences in Nepal. He now runs https://www.descriptmastery.com, a website focused on teaching Descript, an AI-powered video and podcast editing software. The conversation delves into the benefits and challenges of using Descript, the learning curve associated with mastering new tech, and future aspirations for his business and personal life. We are cleared for takeoff.

I call this episode The Hoofsmith’s Path.  From losing his dad as a toddler and being raised in the city by a single mom to becoming a Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers Examiner, Mark Trussler’s life reads like a classic heroes journey to get where he is now.  His is an inspirational story of grit and I had a great time getting to know him.  You will too.  We are cleared for takeoff.

Brought to you by:  Heartland Horseshoeing School

I can’t believe it’s been thirty years.  As a young man, I used to hear the old timers talk about how fast it goes.  As an old man now, I can confirm the validity of their claim.  Well, we are going to make a big celebration of Heartland Horseshoeing School turning thirty, and you are all invited to join us.  There will be a forging contest on May 9th and 10th with buckles, added money and prizes in every division.  Saturday afternoon will finish with a barbecue as we thank every Heartlander that has left some sweat and blood in this place, and every customer and friend that has been a part of it.  We would love to see you.  May 9th and 10th at Heartland Horseshoeing School.

There are few things better than seeing your kids grow and succeed in life, and Kelly and I are proud of what ours have accomplished.  It is such an honor to sit down with Jacquelyn and talk about where she is in life and her passion of raising good protein to keep her family healthy and help other people who want to eat superior and nutritious food.  Raising kids, cattle, pigs and chickens while taking care of several hundred acres, a farrier practice, and staying in front of the marketing that goes with being an entrepreneur in this day and age takes a lot of time, smarts and motivation as you are going to see from this interview.  We are cleared for takeoff.

Brought to you by:  CJW Pino Ranch

Well, you’ve heard me mention CJW Pino Ranch before, but now you’ve had a little more insight into just what goes into bringing you such tasty and high-quality meat.  If you want to help keep the awesome machine that is your body running right, you need to fuel it with the right stuff, and CJW Pino Ranch can be a major part of that, no matter where you live in the lower 48.  Contact Jacquelyn if you want to get to know your personal rancher.  Check out CJWPinoranch.net to start down the road to some high-octane protein.

A Family Journey: From Rodeo to Regenerative Farming

In this intimate podcast episode, a father interviews his daughter, Jacquelyn, diving deep into her life journey from growing up as a rodeo cowgirl to becoming a successful regenerative farmer. They discuss Jacquelyn's marriage to Cameron, their experiences moving to and from Mexico, their decision to start a meat business, and the importance of knowing how your food is raised. Jacquelyn provides insights into their sustainable farming practices, including rotational grazing and non-GMO feeding, and the challenges and rewards of running a regenerative farm. They also touch on personal stories, raising kids, and the significance of eating whole, nutrient-rich foods.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:53 Childhood Memories and Early Life 01:40 College and Meeting Cameron 01:58 Life in Mexico and Return to Missouri 03:26 Starting a Meat Business 04:48 Raising Chickens and Pigs 10:00 Raising Cattle and Meat Quality 16:48 Personal Life and Family 19:15 Discussing the Shoeing Business 20:16 Introduction to Regenerative Agriculture 21:49 Benefits of Rotational Grazing 23:43 Challenges and Testing in Farming 24:26 The Importance of High-Quality Meat 26:59 Scaling and Future Goals 29:32 Nutrient Depletion in Modern Food 33:04 Making Sourdough Bread 36:02 Finding and Supporting Local Farmers

The title of this episode is Foot Soldier to Foot Fixer where I have the privilege of sitting down with combat Vietnam Veteran and Certified Journeyman Farrier Jerry Franklin.  Jerry has over 70 years of horse experience, coming from a Texas farm and ranch background.  He is still an active farrier and enjoys sharing his knowledge with the young farriers that come through Five Star Horseshoeing School, his son Dusty’s business in Oklahoma.  Jerry served in the thick of the fighting in Vietnam, seeing and surviving the horrors of war.  I get him to tell a few of those stories, how he got past it, and how farriery played its part.  We are cleared for takeoff.

I call this one: A Tale of Two Farriers.  I sit down with farrier, father, husband, creator and fellow podcaster, Caleb Erickson.  We just happen to share a multitude of beliefs, as I discovered through our conversation, and I get to reflect a little on this trade of farriery that I love.  Caleb produces The Dying Breed podcast and has a very active YouTube channel with lots of content for those that like horses and their hooves.  I really enjoyed being a part of this one.  We are cleared for takeoff.

The Heart of a Farrier.  In this podcast I have the pleasure of interviewing Eric Nygaard.  Eric started shoeing in the early 80s, and he became a mainstay in the industry, especially in the American Farrier’s Association.  Playing pivotal leadership roles throughout the decades, Eric hasn’t missed a convention since he started, despite devastating health problems that would have sidelined most.  The heart of a farrier is the perfect name for this episode, and you are going to like getting to see another side of Eric Nygaard.  We are cleared for takeoff.

Stunt rider, racehorse trainer, farrier apprentice and son of a true Bedouin, Sultan Al Ameri has quite a trail behind him for such a young man.  Sultan works for Alex Mercer in the UK, and Cody and I were doing a little forging alongside Sultan.  Between heats I got the chance to visit with Sultan and knew that you would all love to hear his story.  So here it is.  We are cleared for takeoff.