Final Approach With Chris Gregory

Peter Kristiansen is a farrier from Denmark that I met many years ago when I did a clinic for Henrik Berger in Denmark.  Peter and I hit it off and have had a long friendship through Facebook. He was in England for the BFBA Focus and I was able to get him to sit down with me for an interview.  It is always interesting to hear about the lives and practices of farriers from other parts of the world and you are going to like getting to know Peter. We are cleared for takeoff. For more information about Chris Gregory CJF ASF FWCF: https://chrisgregoryauthor.com/ https://www.heartlandhorseshoeing.com/

 Steve is a great friend of mine who plays the bass guitar or the drums with Kelly and I when we perform on the worship team for the Lamar First Christian Church. He has had an interesting life and has spent his whole adulthood dealing with some health problems that no one would ever suspect. His generosity, friendliness, outgoing nature, all told a lie about what Steve was going through. But, as I got to know him, I got a glimpse of the trials that this liver disease caused.  I first interviewed Steve in early 2023, and he tells about being on the liver transplant list. Before that interview would be released, he was called up to receive his new liver. The second part of this interview takes place just a couple of weeks after Steve gets this new lease on life, through the marvel of modern medicine. Steve is gonna lift your soul and make you smile in this interview.   We are cleared for takeoff. For more information about Chris Gregory CJF ASF FWCF: https://chrisgregoryauthor.com/ https://www.heartlandhorseshoeing.com/  

From a dairy farm in Belgium to the windswept world of Iceland, Geert Cornelis shares his story and how he came to be a full-time farrier in Iceland.  He is the founder of the Icelandic Farrier Conference, and brings international clinicians to Iceland for farriers, vets and horse owners to learn more about our great trade.  Our talk provides a deep dive into the life of a farrier in Iceland, the challenges and rewards of the profession, and Geert's personal journey and contributions to the horse community.  Sit back and enjoy.  We are cleared for takeoff.

Erikk Peterson is a Farrier industry insider and third generation farrier tool manufacturer.  You are going to enjoy getting to know this humble man who still turns on the mills and sweeps the floors, even though he is part of the family that owns and operates Nordic Forge and president of another company called Victory Horseshoes.  Erikk has been around our great industry for his entire life, and he has some interesting insights in how things work.  This was another one that I am proud to bring you.  We are cleared for takeoff.

What a great talk Tim and I had as we got reacquainted.  Tim is a very creative man who has done quite a bit of different things in his career.  Inventiveness led to patents, and the economy has fought back several times, but he keeps moving forward with perseverance and work ethic. The conversation touches on the challenges and rewards of running a business, the importance of family and community, and the current socio-political landscape. Despite numerous setbacks, Tim continues to pursue his passion projects, emphasizing the value of hard work, resilience, and adaptability.  We are cleared for takeoff.

Katie is my niece in law, and is a legitimate cowgirl with a beautiful and hilarious outlook on life. Katie's engaging storytelling highlights her resilience, humor, and passion for family, horses and entrepreneurship. We had a great visit about her near death experience, her life as a ranch wife, mom, and horsewoman. Check out her work at katiegregoryphoto.com. This episode is being brought to you by https://nmre.com

Jerry Marti is a seasoned pilot and serial entrepreneur from Lamar, Missouri. Trained in aviation at Oklahoma State University, Jerry won a national title with his piloting skills. From there he went on to own three McDonalds, a golf course, printing businesses, and many more. He has a great story to tell with a lot of insight. I really enjoyed getting to sit down with Jerry and you are going to enjoy it as well. We are cleared for takeoff.

This is a great episode where Riley talks about how to start and train a horse, and how to bring a young man into adulthood. Riley is a Wyoming raised cowboy with a heart for God and a love of helping men get better in this crazy world we live in. He will inspire you and make you want to do better in everything you do. Sit back and enjoy. We are cleared for takeoff. #heartlanders #horse #ranch

Mitch and I have known each other since the late 90s.  He is a father, grandfather, preacher, pilot, business owner, and cowboy who is kind to all and has a heart to help wherever he sees the need.  Just the sort of great man that you would want in politics.  We have a great talk about this wonderful world we live in.  Thanks for joining me.  We are cleared for takeoff.

In this episode I get to interview an interesting and multifaceted cowboy/game warden, Scott Brown.  Scott shares some of his tricks for starting colts, riding horses, raising kids, surviving a law-enforcement career and navigating this tricky world we live in.  He is a down-to-earth and humble man that has a lot of great stories and insights, and you are going to want to know him better after this interview.  We are cleared for takeoff.

This is an interesting conversation with Mike Norris. Mike is a farrier with over 30 years of experience, having started his career in Colorado at the Colorado School of Trades in 1993 while I was still running that school. His specialty is the long-footed horse, and we get to talk about shoeing in that world. He is colorful character, to put it mildly, and hides nothing as he tells stories of a wild ride through life. Mike hides nothing as he talks about losing his son, scrapes with the law, and dealing with truck-defacing peacocks. This conversation took over two hours, but it felt like 20 minutes. Listening to it will be the same, so I hope you enjoy it.

Bud and Hannah met when they attended Heartland Horseshoeing School, where they return every year to play a part in the lives of the incoming new students.  I sat them down to discuss their paths to becoming farriers, challenges faced, and their future aspirations. Hannah details her transition from a medical secretary in Alaska to becoming a farrier, while Bud shares his experience working on a dairy farm and as an arborist before deciding to pursue farriery. They emphasize the importance of hard work, passion, and good client communication. We talk about their business, injury experiences, and the importance of horsemanship and practical skills in their profession. They also touch on their goals of expanding their practice to include more farriers and reflect on the various aspects of farriery, including shoeing techniques and the industry's future.

Renowned farrier Jace Ellis shares decades of experiences from his life and career.  He attended horseshoeing school in 1984 and has been shoeing horses ever since. Farriery has allowed Jace to do anything he has ever wanted to do in this life.  Jace recounts various aspects of his career including his first marriage, his son following in his footsteps, and the challenges of maintaining both personal relationships and business standards over the decades. His insights delve into the technical and business sides of being a farrier, alongside memorable stories of dealing with bad horses and complex shoeing techniques. Besides farriery, Jace has a rich life filled with cowboy activities, competitive coyote hunting, and an affinity for camp cooking. He also shares pearls of wisdom and reveals personal interests, emphasizing the importance of doing what you love, regardless of the challenges.

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.

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.