Final Approach With Chris Gregory

Kevin Baslee is a man who had a desire to make aviation part of his life, and found a way to do it.  And not just do it at a regular private pilot level, but all the way to Certified Flight Instrument Instructor.  Taking it all the way to the top.  He has an inspirational story and we had a lot of fun talking about planes.  You will enjoy getting to know Kevin Baslee.  We are cleared for take off.

I get to sit down with Tyler Sherrick as we talk about rodeo, cowboying, flying and wrecking planes and moving through life. It is a fun conversation and we hit a lot of points. You are going to enjoy getting to know Tyler Sherrick. We are cleared for takeoff.

What a story. Athlete, cowboy, auctioneer, pilot, cancer survivor, believer... the list goes on. From some incredible heights of athletic and rodeo glory to struggles with addiction, personal tragedies and health issues. Bailey doesn't hold anything back as he tells his remarkable story. His faith in God and love of his family shine through in this inspirational conversation with a man that loves...

Dr. Hagen and I have been friends for many years, and have worked farrier clinics and conferences together in Germany, Israel and now Iceland.  She is a brilliant mind in the farrier and veterinarian community with a lot of insights and knowledge about the horse, and in particular, its feet.  Her research has given our trade a lot of information.  We get to sit down behind the scenes of the Icelan...

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...

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...

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...

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 yo...

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 e...

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 thi...

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 w...

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 d...

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 perso...

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 an...

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 exper...

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 discuss...

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 O...

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...

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 whil...

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...

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...

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...

  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 takeof...