Student Stories

Josephina Eli from Tea, South Dakota

Josephina Eli from Tea, South Dakota

Yes, the next blog is also about a female student. It has been quite a new experience for us to have so many women students, and I must say, a great experience. Next up is Josie Eli, known as Josephina. She is a young lady from Tea, South Dakota.
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Courtney Bianco AKA "Stud Muffin"

Courtney Bianco AKA "Stud Muffin"

Courtney Bianco, better known as Stud Muffin, is next in line for introduction. Stud Muffin is one extremely tough and determined young lady that continues to surprise and impress us. She got her name because she has a couple of dermal-anchor studs in her lower back that show when she is bent over shoeing. I think those probably hurt pretty bad when they are new, but as I mentioned, this is one tough gal.
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Lauryn "Medusa" Schemenauer

Lauryn "Medusa" Schemenauer

Continuing with the Heartland Horseshoeing School Year Of The Woman, my next blog victim is Lauryn Schemenauer. I also call her Medusa, but the nickname has not stuck 100%. Her hair can have a mind of its own at times, bringing Medusa to mind.

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Jordan Levisky AKA "Texas"

Jordan Levisky AKA "Texas"

My third blog for this year is also a Canadian female farrier. I think this is Heartland Horseshoeing School’s Year of the Woman, as we have more females than males. That is a first in my 26-year career of running a farrier school. The student for this blog is Jordan Levisky, aka – Texas. I always notice the color of a person’s eyes when I first meet them. It is a feature that I end up associating with people who have intense colors in their eyes. Jordan happens to have one brown eye and one green. It is such a cool and unique feature, but one that our beloved Australian Shepherd, Texas, also has. If I ever have to get a glass eye, I think I will get it made in a different color.
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Amanda Chromasta, Female Canadian Farrier Headed Your Way

Amanda Chromasta, Female Canadian Farrier Headed Your Way

There are few people that are as nice or agreeable as the next victim of the Heartland blog. Amanda Chromasta is a young lady from Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada. She is here for the Practical Farrier Course, but wishes she were here for one of the longer ones. That is saying a lot knowing that Amanda is a very recent bride to her best friend, Deny. We wish she were here longer as well, but I would imagine that Deny is ready for this course to be over. There is a lot to know about shoeing horses, and eight-weeks is a short time to become a farrier.
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Chantay "Chantilly Lace" Stokes

Chantay "Chantilly Lace" Stokes

The days are speeding by, and I have been negligent in my duties to let you all know about the incredible cast of characters that have been assembled as students...
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Scott "The Red Lobster" Bushaw

Scott "The Red Lobster" Bushaw

Scott Bushaw comes to the Heartland from Byron, Michigan. Like most northerners, the heat of Missouri can leave a mark, so we tagged him Red Lobster. That name didn’t stick like some, but we still use it once in a while when he is either red from the sun or blushing. Scott has been here since the beginning of May and is about to graduate from the Advanced Farrier Course.
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Brendan "Captain Keith" Venne

Brendan "Captain Keith" Venne

Captain Keith, AKA Brendan Venne, has been in the school since February. Originally, he was going to be in the Farrier Blacksmith Course and follow it up with the Advanced Farrier Course. After seeing how much there was to know, how hard it was going to be to learn, and how we taught the material, he went in completely and signed up for the Journeyman Farrier Course.
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GQ American Joe Richer

GQ American Joe Richer

In a rare change of pace this year, the next bio is from a male student. I write them in the order they come in, and the girls beat the boys when it comes to handing in their bios. This one is named Joe Richer, and I have taken to calling him GQ Joe. Since there are two Joes here this year, he often gets called American Joe, which actually fits him pretty well since he brings to mind the All-American young man that you would see in a poster from the 1940s. Same reason the name GQ Joe also fits pretty well. He looks like he could easily be a fitness or magazine model.
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Mikey Spickard from Ozark, Missouri

Mikey Spickard from Ozark, Missouri

This blog is about a young Christian man from Ozark, Missouri, named Michael Spickard. Better known as Mikey, partly because of his real name, and partly because of Mutant Ninja...
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Payden "The Mountain Man" Talbott

Payden "The Mountain Man" Talbott

This blog is about Payden Talbott. Payden is a mountain man, having been raised in Buffalo, Wyoming. He currently calls the Billings, Montana area home, and his heart is definitely in the Rocky Mountains. Pretty much everything that he does for fun requires a mountain to do it the way he wants to do it. Hunting, trapping, fishing, riding, hiking, camping or basically enjoying the mountains and outdoors.
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Student Memories

Student Memories

This was just on Facebook, so I thought I would put it on the HHS website for those that don’t have Facebook.  There is something indescribable about being a Heartland grad.
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Graduates discuss HHS

Graduates discuss HHS

Hi Friends.  There is a cool discussion amongst graduates right now on Facebook that I wanted to put in this blog.  This school is a unique place in the world, and you can see it clearly from these posts.  Thanks to all of those that have allowed me and my family to play a part in their careers.
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Rachael Kane, CJF

Rachael Kane, CJF

Ever since I was a wee, baby farrier, the Certified Journeyman Farrier test seemed like a good goal to aim for – and difficult enough to be pretty daunting. I remember thinking the farriers sitting for their CJF were like Gods, and I would never be that good!
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