GLOBAL NEWS
CHRISTMAS 2010 SPECIAL EDITION
GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE: THANK YOU ALL ! DEAR COLLEAGUES AND PARTNERS, It is a pleasure for us to open up this first issue of our Global newsletter and we couldn’t think of a better way to do it than reviewing the many positive results we have achieved together over the last years. We have been through lots of changes recently. The structure of the company has evolved to accept the challenge of globalization and many more changes will come in the future: the market is getting more and more dynamic and aggressive and we have to get ready for that. Will it be an easy task? No. it won’t. Will it happen through single initiatives? No, it will only be possible through well coordinated teamwork and through collaboration. Companies are made of people. We strongly believe that successful companies are those who are good at involving the right partners and sharing common goals. This has been our primary target since 1832 and so far our attitude has proved right. We will continue our commitment to the industry. We will always strive to offer the market top quality, innovative products for the better of the horse. And we know this will only be done through the efforts of our employees and the support and co-operation of our commercial and technical partners. That’s why we want to thank you all for our past successes and celebrate them with you. We wish all of you and your families a Merry Christmas and a great 2011 and we look forward to the next 175 years! 175 YEARS OF TRADITION A brief company history through some key highlights
1880
1898
Clarin Mustad
Heller Rasps First acquired sponsorship of the World Championship of Blacksmiths The horseshoe business starts
Mustadfors Bruk First Mustad factory in Norway factory is founded in Dalsland, Sweden
1832
Hans Mustad
1920
1980
Hans Mustad drives the 8.000 employees company’s internationa- in 13 different countries lization process
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1985
1995
2005
Ingrid Klimke wins The Farriers’ the Gold medal at Champion of Champions Beijing Olympics
2006
2008
2009
2010
The historical American Hans and Clarin Mustad, 7th Mine That Bird wins the horseshoe nail brand generation of the family, take 135th Kentucky Derby with Mustad products Capewell is acquired over the hoofcare branch
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IN THIS ISSUE 2-3 4 5-8 9 10 11 12
2005-2010: an overview now out ! virtuous circles Mustad facebook winning with Mustad opinion leaders q&a
I look at change as a positive driving force: balancing tradition with change has become a hallmark for the Mustad Group over the generations. We went through a lot of changes at Mustad since Clarin and Hans took over from their fathers! Here are five key achievements that I would like to point out: • we moved from loosely coordinated companies to one global integrated group • we kept a steady turnover, through times of economic crisis and tough competition • we continued to strengthen our coverage and market share in our key markets • we added rasps as a strategic product line, complementing nails and horseshoes • we launched global innovation and marketing as strategic basis for future growth There is really a lot to be proud of here and when we join forces and work as a team I’m convinced we will do even better Petter Binde, CEO Sales & Marketing
DID YOU KNOW THAT…. • We are a truly global team: 18 companies belong to our Group, selling across 5 continents • More than 500 employees of over 25 nationalities work for our Group, ensuring our global synergies and expertise are leveraged at a local level: we think global and act local • We invest in the industry like nobody else: 1 clinic per day worldwide is either sponsored by Mustad or led by one of our expert clinicians • The equivalent weight in metal of 2 Eiffel towers is used every year to produce Mustad shoes: • 1.500 models of shoes enrich our product portfolio • 21.000 horses are shod every day with Mustad shoes • A chain made of all nails produced by Mustad every year could circle the globe twice • We sell over 600 models of nails • 150.000 horses are shod every day with Mustad nails NAILS
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Mustad Clinics: p. 8
MUSTAD IN THE WORLD our sales & distribution sites Mustad Hoofcare SA Bulle, Switzerland Mustad Kampen Kampen, Netherlands
Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center Minnesota, US
Mustadfors Bruks Dahls Langed, Sweden
2-3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Mustad Mexico Guadalajara Emcoclavos Bogotá, Colombia
Mustad New Zealand Auckland & Christ Church
Mustad Argentina Buenos Aires
Mattheis Borg Itaipava, Brazil
Natas Istanbul, Turkey
O’Dwyers Kilmore, Australia
Mustad Maroc Settat
our production sites Mustad Friesland Drachten, Netherland Shoes
Mustadfors Bruks Dahls Langed, Sweden. Nails
St.Croix Minnesota, US Shoes
Capewell Connecticut, US Nails Heller Internat. Medellín, Colombia Rasps Emcoclavos Bogotá, Colombia Nails Mattheis Borg Shoes
Mustad Argentina Tres Arroyos
Mustad Maroc Nails
Shoes
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NOW OUT ! new, innovative products that hit the market in 2010 (and a peek into 2011)
™ nail 2-3 Concave
Delta Challenger™
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In 2010 we launched the Delta Challenger TS7 & TS8, turned steel shoes produced in Friesland (Holland), designed with more features to aggressively compete against the KK SX7 & SX8. Promotional activities mainly centered around sampling at key events and clinics as well as personal visits with farriers throughout the year have been run: as a result, the new shoes are being well accepted by farriers with many taking the Challenge and making the Switch. Our DMHC clinicians used the Challenger as a headliner education item throughout the clinic season, demonstrating the key benefits and features over the competitors models.
The Concave nail was developed through the interactions with farriers and is specifically designed for the concave shoe user. Its many unique features (pitched head; extra long shank; exact pointing process; chamfered corners) make it stand out from the competition.
RidersRasp™: with the horse owner in mind
Swift™ racing nail
Developed through a close collaboration with farriers specialized in racing disciplines, Swift® meets the specific needs currently expressed by racing professionals. Recently launched on the european market, it will be available starting next January 2011. Main features include:
The RidersRasp™ features an ergonomic design that fits all hands, a soft grip with no slip sides to protect hands for the rasps, and rasps that are designed for rounding, not removing hoof wall. Released in 2010 in the US, the RidersRasp is the ideal accessory for the horse owners to complement the farrier’s work and will be available for other markets in 2011 NAILS
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• An extra slim shank, especially appropriate for thin hoof walls • Sufficient shank length, offering the option to nail both higher and lower • A short neck, ideal for thin shoes • A crown on the head, optimizing drive and tightening
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VIRTUOUS CIRCLES our initiatives for the global hoofcare industry
2-3 Calgary Stampede
Champion of the Champions 2010
4 The greatest 5show on Earth Last July at the6 internationally renowned Calgary Stampede, Mustad 7 sponsored once again the World Blacksmith Championships: a sound tradition which 8 create 31 years ago and proudly we contributed to support since then. 9 Delta Mustad Hoofcare provided the Mustad nails 10 for the event as well as Heller
Rasps. In addition Mustad is a title sponsor in the AFJ’s Calgary mail in contest. Every year, the world’s top craftsmen in this timehonoured profession give their all in front of thousands of spectators in what has become known as the “Olympics of Blacksmithing”, both educating and entertaining the public with their skills and abilities. The toughest, most prestigious contest of its kind in the world, this event draws competitors from around the globe and uses the traditional coal fire for its numerous classes where competitors turn steel into horseshoes and works of art.
May 8th, 2010 - The Forge, Stoneleigh, UK
Presented as a prestigious event not to be missed, the Mustad Champion of Champions Exhibition did not disappoint and surpassed expectations. Previous winners of the Calgary Stampede World Championship Blacksmiths Competition had a different story to tell and, each a legend in their own time held in the highest regard by their peers for their renowned forging and shoeing capabilities. A quiet determination prevailed amongst all participants to put on a fine display of farriery in an open environment where skills can be passed on to each other and the audience. The bonus of representing individually chosen charities further compelled their desire to take part. The remarkable camaraderie that exists between farriers demonstrates a willingness to help each other to improve and each Champion recognised great farrier influences that have helped them along their way. Judges David Wilson and Marshall Iles were both delighted and honoured to have been asked to evaluate the work completed on the day A total of £8,000 was raised for the various charities by participating Champions. A further auction on Saturday night with prizes donated by many of the Champions raised £3200. The weekend was rounded off with a further treat for NAFBAE members – an intimate clinic with the Champions and a chance to ‘get up close’: further demonstrations were kindly provided by Jim Blurton, Grant Moon, Dave Duckett and Bob Marshall. The victory of the irishman Paul Robinson, crowned the “Champion of the Champions”, was the concluding chapter of a truly amazing event and a rare opportunity to experience a tremendous showcase of talent in an educational, inspiring and friendly environment: the Mustad Champion of the Champions 2010 is an event which will go down in the history books and was an absolute privilege to be a part of. NAILS
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Fifty-six competitors representing 12 countries pounded it out at Calgary, Alberta in Canada for the Calgary Stampede’s 31st annual World Championship Blacksmiths’ Competition (WCBC). . The top 10 finalists went head-to-head in the Big Top for the coveted title of "2010 World Champion Blacksmith". At stake were $50,000 in cash and prizes, with the winner receiving a $10,000 check, a limited edition bronze trophy, a Stampede handcrafted buckle, and a champion’s jacket. And if somebody may tell you that it's more about the title than the prizes, just ask England’s Steven Beane, who was virtually unbeatable when it counted, dominating the semifinal and final rounds under the Big Top to win his second consecutive World Champion title. ““It’s unbelievably hard to do that. Really, really hard,” said Beane, 31. “You’ve got so many good guys competing here . . . you’ve got to be on the top of your game, and I’m lucky I was on top of my game today.” Well done Steven, we look forward to seeing you here again next year to defend your title!
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VIRTUOUS CIRCLES our initiatives for the global hoofcare industry
2-3 Sacramento, CA The TEVIS Cup, 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Elitloppet Trotting event, Stockholm SWEDEN – The Elitloppet, the biggest trotting event in Scandinavia, took place on the last weekend of May in Stockholm. A long time tradition for Sweden (the first edition dates back to 1952), it was once again a huge success of audience with over 54.000 attendees over the weekend in the Solvalla hippodrome, for a total amount in gambling of almost 4M€ across 35 races. Our presence at the event witnesses the big emphasis Mustad puts into trotting and allows us to create a direct link between farriers, trainers, trade (through our key customer Henrik Brandt) and the top personalities in this segment. This edition’s clinic by Rose-Marie Clark had a great following and continued the tradition of last years’ successful events such as workshops or product demonstrations,
CALIFORNIA, USA - Mustad sponsored the Tevis Cup last July, with the Mustad Equilibrium featured as the Official Shoe. The Tevis Cup is the premier 100 mile horse ride through extreme and rugged terrains covering a portion of the Western States Trail which stretches from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Sacramento, California.. It is both grueling on the horse and rider. TIME Magazine has named the Tevis Cup Ride as one of the Top 10 Endurance Competitions in the World! This competition finds itself nestled amongst the Iditarod, the Tour de France, and the Le Mans 24 Hours in the Top Ten list of “notable tests of human stamina.” The Equi-Librium shoes were introduced to the endurance discipline and shown at a booth at the annual American Endurance Ride Conference convention in Reno last February. The event was very focused on the Equi-Librium shoes and we gave a presentation to the attendees about the benefits of the shoe. Testimonials were featured from various riders as well as Jeff Pauley, one of our clinicians who happens to be the US Endurance Team farrier: "EquiLibrium shoes are a great asset to the endurance sport because of how they enhance breakover. I feel that breakover is one of the most important factors in balancing a foot“, he said. Top-level riders were chosen to form the “Team Equilibrium”. Mustad outfits them with our Team apparel featuring Mustad and Equi-Librium logos.
Italian Hoofcare Convention, Rimini ITALY - The bi-annual Italian Hoofcare event is organized by the partners in farrier supply Blacksmith and Mustad since 2004. The main purpose of the event is to update farriers on the hoofcare evolution, useful research results as well as shoeing techniques from all over the world; the event also brings veterinarians and farriers together to discuss orthopedic cases and exchange information in a relaxed atmosphere. The program offers live demonstrations by farriers on cases presented by guest speakers around specific themes such as break over, western style shoeing, shoeing for performance, shoeing the trotting horse etc. etc. The 2010 edition has been once again a very international event, with approx 350 vets and farriers from Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, France, USA, Australia, Belgium, Italy, UK. A clear success for Mustad and our partner Blacksmith that make us look forward eagerly to the next edition in 2012.
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VIRTUOUS CIRCLES our initiatives for the global hoofcare industry
2-3 Emcoclavos2-3 Farrier School, Colombia 44 Among our 55 long-term marketing investments into 66 Latin America, one of the most brilliant77 initiatives throughout 2010 88 was the Farrier School organised as a 99 Colombian joint effort by our branch Emcoclavos 10 and the 10
New wire plant at Mustadfors
national Equine Association, Fedequina. The clear objective of the school (a total of 120 hours, 2 days a week between September and October) is to teach students the basics of horseshoeing. Among the 34 of them, following the lectures of the professional farrier Jorge Eduardo Mejía, some veterinarians and riders, interested in a more complete approach to the hoofcare and the horse well-being, as well as farriers, looking for a professional support to help developing their career path. We believe official farriers’ certification still requires some time and effort: a consistent and well developed educational program to uniform the knowledge in the industry is the first step to get there.
SWEDEN - On August 31, 2010 the new wire plant at Mustadfors Bruk was officially opened. The new wire plant will not only produce wire for Mustadfors, but will also supply the rest of the nail Group companies with wire of the highest quality. The management took this opportunity to celebrate with both the owners and the managers of the group, the suppliers of the machines, specially invited guests and all the personnel of Mustadfors Bruk. An award ceremony took place to celebrate the employees who had been working in the company for more than 25 years. We counted 25 persons reaching an employment time between 25 and 43 years! Two generations of the Mustad family attended the event to thank their most loyal employees and witness an uncompromised willingness to invest in the company and support long-term growth plans
Mustad Hoofcare Internet Platform
Richard Ellis Foundation UNITED KINGDOM - English World Champion Blacksmith, Richard Ellis was diagnosed with Myeloma during the summer. Richard is held in the highest regard by so many and is an extremely talented farrier and clinician. Since the diagnosis a number of fundraising activities have taken place by way of offering our support and help to Richard and his family during this extremely difficult time. Last October 120 farriers attended a clinic organized by Handmade Shoes (UK) Ltd and each of them received a ‘goody bag’ complete with Mustad rasp. All attendance fees paid and money raised from the auction have been donated to Richard and his family. Those unable to attend the clinic have been encouraged to ‘Shoe a Horse for Richard’ – farriers can ask the client to make cheques payable to ‘Richard Ellis’. Fundraising is ongoing: Richard is currently undergoing rigorous treatment for his cancer. We wish him every strength throughout his treatment and ask all of you to support him with further donations – for further info on how to donate email us.
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2010 saw an exceptional development of our web-based services through the expansion of the Cavalnet platform. Not only is now Cavalnet gathering all our group’s websites (brands and subsidiaries) within one visual identity, but it also allows our distributors to approach the web and its commercial potential with an effective and inexpensive tool. The majority of our groups websites are now online and 10 web stores were launched as a sign of our solid partnerships in the industry. As an example you can check out here the web store of one of our top accounts in Europe. The success of this first stage for the Cavalnet platform leads us into a second phase which will se the roll-out of new web stores in the american market. According to some partners involved in the project, this is “an amazing tool” and “a great step ahead that creates additional business opportunities for my company”. In the course of the next months, the group’s web investments will also encompass a strategic approach to social media and mobile technologies, through innovative, hi-tech tools aimed at reaching farriers, dealers and horse riders.
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VIRTUOUS CIRCLES our initiatives for the global hoofcare industry
The International Hoofcare Summit 2010 Cincinnati, OH
Shop-in-shop project As a part of our marketing efforts, a new in-store display and merchandising concept is being tested in Sweden and Latin America. As many more purchasing decisions are made at the point of sales, new shop displays make it simple for the customer to find the right products and easy for shop personnel to check product availability and refilling. Shelf tags and signs help emphasizing products and their features. Solid and rich materials have been chosen for our display units, which come with easy-to-follow mounting instructions. Also very important, flexible adjustments are always possible to modify the units according to changing requirements. A color-matching system has been designed so that on one hand dealers can quickly refill the units and each product finds its right spot and - on the other hand – the product display is eye-catching for customers
OHIO, US - The IHC Summit is the premier farrier trade show and education conference in the North American farrier industry.. Delta Mustad Hoofcare has a major Brand presence on the exhibit floor and captures the most booth traffic of the 3 day event. DMHC uses the venue to launch new products, reinforce our brand images, and leadership industry position while supporting the farrier education initiatives of the American Farriers Journal. Fitting into our “green” initiatives, we used recycled materials for our exhibition booth. We are a title Education sponsor and present several Achievement Awards to farriers chosen by AJF who have given back to the industry with their time and talents. At the Summit we have a customer appreciation evening, where we break into small teams and take our customers to dinner in the host city for a night of good food, laughter, learning and insight into each others views of the industry and respective businesses. It is always a highlight for both our Mustad colleagues and for our customers.
Asian Pacific Farrier Conference & Competition – Epping, Melbourne
Clinics Program - Latin America In 2010 our Latin America team organized 43 seminars with an overall attendance of over 800, including farriers, vets, horse owners and other industry players. With a clear focus on Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, the Mustad Clinics have reached over 30 cities this year. Lectures and workshop are led by our selected group of clinicians including Daniel Anz, Pedro Pechar, Alexi Gutierrez, Luis Gustavo Tenorio, Edison Pagota, Rafael Cerqueira, Claudemir – among the best and most respected farriers in the Latin American continent. Our testimonials embody the core principles of our educational program, aimed at providing added value to the industry professionals. A particular emphasis is put on the younger farriers, who we want to provide with knowledge on horse shoeing and horse podiatry, which will eventually help them in developing their professional career.
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demonstrations led by highly qualified farriers and veterinarians (among them the 6 times World Champion Grant Moon) makes the Mustad Conference a successful event and the next edition a must for each industry professional in the Asia-Pacific region
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Last September 29-30th and October 1st the annual Asian Pacific Farrier Conference and Competition organized by Mustad took place at the Epping NMIT campus. Three days of what is becoming an increasingly renowned appointment for the farrier community, attracting 100 Australian farriers, thereof 25 competing in two shoeing events. A balanced mix of educational contents, workshops and practical
MUSTAD Dan O’Dwyer
Mustad Asia Pacific Sales Director
Dan Dan Dan
Male 20th August 1974 My new RidersRasp Trail! ridersrasp.com
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia 1993-1995 – Completed Bachelor of Commerce High School = Assumption College Kilmore, Australia 1987-1992 Mustad Group – Asia Pacific Sales Director 2008 to Present Mustad Group – Mustad New Zealand Ltd 2007-Present (General Manager/Director) Mustad Group – O’Dwyer Horseshoe Sales Australia Pty Ltd 2002-Present (General Manager/Director) O’Dwyer Horseshoe Sales Australia Pty Ltd 1997-2002 (family company) G.F.O’Brien & Co, Woodend, Australia 1995-1997
Work
10 Willowmavin Road - PO Box 477 Kilmore Vic 3764, Australia Ph: +61-(0)3-57-34-35-36 Fax: +61-(0)3-5782-2399 Email: dan@odwyers.com.au
Family, Australian Football, Cricket, Tennis, Golf, Running, Harness Racing and Thoroughbred Racing, Movies
Hoof Grooming for Optimum Health Save money without sacrificing the level of hoof care. RidersRasp™ extends trimming intervals while retaining hoof balance.
My new EquiLibrium mustadhorseshoes.com
Equi-Librium, the horseshoe for sports horses If you want the best for your horse too, ask your farrier to see what benefits Equi-Librium can have for your horse
My Story at Mustad
My beginning with the Hoofcare industry was as a small boy watching my father, Carl O’Dwyer, shoe horse after horse after horse, and going to countless farrier competitions, harness races, thoroughbred races etc. After so much exposure to the hoofcare as a child, I realised that I did not want to get my ambitions mixed up with my capabilities, so I told my father I was not interested in horses when I was about 12 years old and began playing Australian Football with my friends for many years. My father was shattered that I did not follow in his footsteps, but I realised very early on in my young life that my capabilities with horses were very limited so I opted out. After having a good time at High School and University I began to work for an Accounting firm where I completed my Certified Practicing Accountant qualification. Then over a beer with my father in 1997, I asked him for a job as I thought it would be a good idea to get back in the family business. Carl did not like being in the office, running or handling sales, so when I started working for him on day 1, he gave me his desk and said all yours. Looking back there was a method in his madness, he gave me space but was always there watching and guiding me and if you ask any of my colleagues (who I still work with and were there when I began) like Gloria, Andy, Rob, Mandy and Heather at the office at O’Dwyers, they would all agree I did make a lot of mistakes – but never the same one twice! I began working for the Mustad Group on 1st July 2002 as the General Manager/Director of our former family company, O’Dwyer Horseshoe Sales Australia Pty Ltd, my family sold the business to the Mustad Group. My father started O’Dwyer in 1971 and built it into the largest steel shoe producer in Australia and New Zealand. Since that time I have learnt so much from many people within Mustad that has been invaluable to me and very much appreciated. While working for Mustad, I have been fortunate enough to visit many places around the world, in particular I have travelled all around the Asia Pacific region over the last 8 years. Working for Mustad has given me such a multicultural experience that I will always be grateful to Hans and Clarin Mustad (and their parents before them Ole and Christian Mustad) for exposing me to this diverse culture within the Group
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WINNING WITH MUSTAD the difference between a talent and a champion Mercedes-Benz 2-3 Preis – 5th Sept. 2010 Baden 4 Baden, Germany
Breeders’ Cup - 5th Nov. 2010 Churchill Downs, Kentucky
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Night Magic 6 charged from last to first to 7 score a decisive 8 victory in the Grosser 9 Mercedes-Benz 10 Preis Von Baden (Germany) last September 5th. Night Magic was settled at the rear of the field of six by jockey Filip Minarik as Northern Glory set the early pace. Favorite Cavalryman tracked him from second, with Quijano stalking in third. The pace began to increase as the field entered the home straight. Northern Glory eventually surrendered the lead to Night Magic, who had made a sweeping move down the center of the course to take command two furlongs from home. The night of her victory in Baden Baden she was wearing St. Croix Concorde Aluminum plates, once again the choice for winners! To watch the video of the race on our Youtube channel, click here
The Filly and Mare event at Churchill - the largest Filly race in the United States - was won by Dubai Majesty wearing St. Croix Forge Aluminum Racing Plates in combination with Delta nails. The horse was shod by Randy Reed from Delaware Park; Bret Calhoun is the trainer. Randy Reed has been using competitors’ racing plates for 7 years and switched last summer to St. Croix: great choice, Randy! To watch the video of the race on our Youtube channel, click here
Golden Shaheen - 27th March 2010 Dubai
FEI World Equestrian Games Sept.-Oct. 2010, Kentucky, USA
Kinsale King, smartly ridden by Garrett Gomez, reclaimed the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) at Meydan Racecourse. Commenting on Kinsale King, his irish trainer Carl O'Callaghan said: “He’s a great horse, has a lot of heart. I don’t need to do a whole lot with him. I just give him his eggs and his Guinness, and let him go”. On top of food and drinks, some help to Kinsale King came also from the SCF fronts he was wearing as well as the Capewell nails on all four feet! To watch the video of the race on our Youtube channel, click here
The FEI World Equestrian Games are the standard in the great American tradition of equine competitions. When the winning horse uses your brand of shoes and nails it says everything about product quality and integrity. St Croix Forge shoes and Capewell nails are the most trusted brands in America. Trust is the reason farriers and trainers all across America prefer our products. They know our shoes and nails are reliable having proven it time and again, from the big money race to the quiet trail, from the precision of the ring to the speed of the track. We are honored to be part of the Equestrian Games and that the individual gold medal for Reining was won by U.S. Team member Tom McCutcheon on his 6-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion Gunners Special Nite, wearing our St.Croix Sure-Fit shoes and Capewell nails!! To watch the video of their fantastic performance on our Youtube channel, click here
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OPINION LEADERS home of the experts Shoes for the happy athlete There is a lot of discussion about the factors involved to keep the sport horse a ´ happy athlete´. This discussion is mainly focused around training techniques. However, to be and stay a happy athlete there are more factors involved such as housing, feeding and of course shoeing and shoeing techniques. As a matter of fact, most dropouts in equestrian sports are the result of front limb injuries, especially the lower limb is very sensitive. These injuries are the main reason for early retirement, performance loss and long rehabilitation processes. Where training is important to increase loading capacity of muscles, tendons and joints, shoeing can positively influence the loading of these structures. To find out how trimming and shoeing affect the horse and how shoes might benefit horses, a PhD study was initiated in 2001 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Utrecht University, financially supported by Mustad Hoofcare. From the results of these studies we learned that the horse has a very own way of moving. The foot lands most often on the outside part, than becomes fully loaded at midstance with values that reach levels of around 120% of their bodyweight in a slow trot up to more than twice their bodyweight while showjumping and in dressage (see picture, left). When the body moves over the leg in forward direction the horse starts to unroll its foot, and again this happens in a very specific manner. The centre of pressure travels from the centre of the foot to a maximum value on the outside part of the hoof and then back again towards the centre of the toe. Often it does not reach the centre of the toe and the last point of contact the horse has with the ground is just on the outside part of the toe. Combining these results with the fact that most horses have to make a lot of turns while performing we developed the Equi-Librium shoe, which is rounded in the toe part in two directions forwards and sideways. The shoe was tested with 20 horses and it was proven that with the Equi-Librium shoe the process of hoof-unrollment is smoother, which improves coordination of this process and the peak load was decreased substantially (on average 14% per step). So with these shoes injuries might be prevented and horses can stay sound and happy!
Dr. Meike Van Heel PhD Movement scientist, Animal physiotherapist Innovation Manager Mustad Hoofcare,
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Q&A a chat with....
Paola Maldonado
Innovation Director, Mustad Hoofcare Q: Hi Paola! When did you start at Mustad ?
A: I joined Mustad in 2009 however I had been involved with the group as a consultant on strategic projects since 2008. When Mustad proposed that I join the team I was very enthusiastic, it was an easy decision, I really like the industry and Mustad is a company with a great team of people willing to improve continuously.
Q: Tell us more about the Innovation Department you are leading.
A: Innovation is a driving force within our group and it is one of our core values. Over the last 175 years, Mustad has always brought to the market innovative products around the world. We want to push even further on this traditional strength of our company and this is why the Innovation department was created. We are currently four members: Victoria Corrales (based in Colombia), dr. Meike Van Heel (based in the Netherlands), Pierre Bourotte (based in Switzerland) and me. Our main goal as a team is to facilitate, foster and manage product innovation
Paola Maldonado
Meike Van Heel
Victoria Corrales
Pierre Bourotte
Q: How would you describe the role of Innovation within Mustad?
A: The Innovation team serves as an interface between the market and the company, ensuring that today’s (and tomorrow’s) customers’ ideas, needs and expectations are efficiently transmitted and managed within the group. Innovation does not only mean designing new products but also improving our current services and products
Q: What specific process do you follow to create innovative products?
A: In the product development process, the Innovation team accompanies innovation from the first stage to the last, from the idea to the final product. For each potential product idea, the Innovation team follows a thorough process enabling Mustad to transform a good idea into a new successful product. Each product idea has to be defined and evaluated, to then engage into prototype development. After prototype testing, the product is ready for production and quality assessment. Finally, the product can be launched on the market.
Q: It sounds like a lot of people involved and a great co-operative spirit needed!
A: We believe that success is a result of teamwork and collaboration. Therefore, each innovation project relies on a multidisciplinary project team that involves experts from the industry (farriers, vets, riders) and from different areas of the company. Leveraging on market feedback at the different stages of the process is key to achieve a successful innovation project. Listening to experts’ advice from all over the world is an essential part of our improvement process.
Q: Anything you can release on new upcoming products?
A: We have recently launched the new Swift racing nail and we have more than 12 projects in development. One of the next to be released will have a strong impact on the market as we plan to improve one Mustad shoe that has been very successful over the last 10 years across Europe. We went through very positive tests of the prototypes and are confident that the new shoe will be even a bigger success! We are very excited about each of the projects that we are working on.
Q: A particular message you want to give to our readers? A: Innovation is a top priority for us to go forward. The advice and ideas of experts in the market will help us to innovate and bring new and better products to the hoofcare industry. Suggestions are therefore always welcome and greatly appreciated. If you have any product idea that you would like to submit, please do not hesitate to contact us at ideas@mustad.com NAILS
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This is Mustad News – Christmas 2010 Special Edition the Mustad Hoofcare group global newsletter Issue # 1, December 2010 - Editor: Luca Bertolino A huge ’thank you!’ to all contributors for this first issue! Become a contributor! Email your input and ideas to: lucabertolino@mustad.com
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