Kevin Bucknell, CJF
I was born the youngest of three children. My sister being the oldest, then my brother. We grew
up on a dairy farm, so I am used to working long hours. As my sister and brother grew up and
moved off the farm, it was me that picked up the slack as both my parents worked off the farm as
well. In high school I was involved in football, wrestling, and track. I have worked at John Deere
for over 14 years and prior to that I worked at Unverferth and a fabrication and repair shop. My
family and my wife’s family were involved in Chuckwagon racing and that is where the
beginning of my horseshoeing road began!
How I Started Shoeing – My father did horseshoeing for a living, so I had some idea of what to
do. I didn’t like paying for someone else to do something that I thought I was capable of doing. I
really got started when a local horseshoer was unable to keep shoes on our chuckwagon horses. I
was always tacking shoes back on and finally figured out that if I was doing that much, I just as
well shoe them and then we wouldn’t have to pay somebody else to lose shoes. Word got out that
I was shoeing some horses, so friends and neighbors started calling. So, I figured, why not at
least get paid for it! Thus, in 2005, my horseshoeing career was established.
My Mentors – My dad was the go-to guy when I had a question on anything horseshoeing. In
2017, I met Ray Legel, CJF, and that is when I realized how little I knew. He opened my eyes up
to forging and anatomy. He got me involved in the IPFA, like he did with all young guys that
sought his help.
My Accomplishments – Definitely, achieving my CJF in the spring of 2025.
Family – My wife (Kelly) and I, have been married for 28 years. We have two sons, Nickolas
(27years old) who is a maintenance mechanic at John Deere, Lukas (25 years old) who is a
police officer for Waverly, Iowa.
Hobbies – Kelly and I really enjoy camping, trail riding, raising foals and going to horse sales. I
also really enjoy forging.
My Best Experience Shoeing – Meeting all the likeminded people through the IPFA, the clinics
and the competitions. Many good friendships have formed through these events.
My Worst Experience Shoeing – Dealing with spoiled horses and unaware clients.
What I Like Most About Shoeing – Getting to know so many different clients and them
entrusting me with their horses. Seeing the improvements.
What I Like Least About Shoeing -Working late nights because I work as a Pattern Maker at
John Deere during the day from 6:30 am to 3:00 pm. I do carry a pretty full book of horses, but
not near as many as the full-time guys.
Lessons Learned and Advice for New Farriers – Take care of your body. Customer service is
what sets you apart. Never stop wanting to learn.
How Has the IPFA Contributed to My Success – Being involved in the IPFA has been
monumental. The wealth of knowledge of the farriers you meet and their willingness to share
advice with me and others. I never knew that this was such a tight knit group of friends. The
clinics, the hammer-ins, and the competitions have elevated my ability to shoe horses
tremendously.
Notes – It is hard for me to put into words how much I have enjoyed my journey as a farrier. In
my early years, I was just a guy putting steel on the bottom of a foot. Now I have my
Journeyman Certification. Twenty years ago, I didn’t even know what CJF meant. My next goal
is to win a contest, which is extremely hard do, due to the fact that I work so late at night and
don’t get the time to practice.