Friday, March 16, 2007

Mustad Hoofcare Center Announces New Horseshoe Products, Lower Prices; Expands into Standardbred Racing Scene

(via press release)

FOREST LAKE, Minn. – March 16, 2007 – Mustad Hoofcare Center (MHC) has announced several new products for 2007 that reflect the expressed needs of farriers across North America. Also, MHC announced lower prices on many of its popular horseshoe products for 2007.

MHC President Carlos Xifra said the new products are the result of the company’s commitment to “listening and responding to farriers, helping them grow their businesses efficiently and conveniently.”

Produced under the company’s St. Croix Forge brand, many of the new horseshoe products also will reflect lower pricing for 2007, the result of hard work and greater efficiencies obtained by the entire MHC team, according to Xifra.

“These price reductions and the ability to hold other horseshoe prices in the face of rising material, labor and transportation costs are the result of internal efficiency gains produced by our team’s efforts over the past year,” he said. “We are very pleased to translate these efficiencies to our customers in the form of lower pricing.”

A number of exciting product line expansions are part of the broad slate of new products for 2007.

· Eventer & EZ Plus horseshoes will add size 00 in response to demand by farriers for new sizes. The new sized shoes will offer the same features as other Eventer & EZ Plus Shoes, and will be available Spring 2007.

· The popularity of the Aluminum Eventer line continues with the addition of the new Aluminum Eventer Unclipped version, the aluminum front Eventer Plus and the Aluminum Eventer Two–Degree wedge models. Available now in size 000-3, the Aluminum Eventer Unclipped front is more affordable than buying clipped shoes and knocking the clip off, saving labor for the farrier. The Eventer Plus aluminum front comes in both clipped and unclipped versions offering a wider web for better support, with lateral extensions. The Aluminum Eventer Two–Degree Front offers a corrective shoe to address some heel conditions. Both Aluminum Eventer Plus and Two-Degree fronts will be available summer 2007.

· MHC offers a new family of products: EZ Plus with a V-shaped crease, a fully featured shoe with a V crease that allows for better positioning of nails, as well as safer locking of the nail head to the shoe. “This will save the farrier time in shaping, and will be easier to work with than other shoes,” said Xifra. “The lateral support for the hoof is built in.” The new line, available summer 2007, will replace the current EZ Plus line of shoes.

· MHC brings some of these features with its new EZ Lite line of shoes. These shoes are based on the popular line of Lite shoes, in a front and hind pattern, finished heels, seating, an outstanding V-shaped crease, punched for CH nails, available in sizes 000 thru 3. Available Summer 2007, this line will replace the Lite Hind shoes currently offered by St. Croix Forge.

· The popular Lite Heel Hind shoes are offered in sizes 00 thru 3 saving farriers time at the anvil, offering sole pressure relief, a nail pattern that allows room for side clips and an excellent nail seating.

· A new line of Concave Plus Front and Hind shoes will also be available spring 2007 with the same features as the popular Eventer Plus shoes – symmetrical fronts with lateral extensions, and left and right hinds with slightly longer and wider outside branches. Punched for E-head nails, with toe and side clips, available in sizes 000 thru 4.

· While MHC has kept farriers in mind with its new line of products, the new Polo Front shoe offers better field and competitive performance to the horse with a new shape and design. Already available, the shoe features a more aggressive heel cut as a running change with the existing Polo front line.

MHC is adding a new product line of Harness Shoes in the spring of 2007 with the new Full Swedge Front, Full Swedge Hind, 9/16” wide Half Round Front and Half Swedge Hinds shoes. The new line features a more aggressive outer rim for traction and stability. Made from a harder material for better durability and wear – while still within the required weight targets – these Harness Shoes offer a truer shape to the hoof to save farriers time at the anvil. Sole pressure relief, better nail positioning, precision nail holes, are just some of the benefits offered by these shoes. Punched for RN 4.5, available in sizes 00 thru 5.

Continuing the quality of the St. Croix Forge Aluminum Racing Shoes and Plates, MHC introduces a new size 9 outer rim race plate both for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing events. Produced with MHC’s high quality standards and the finest aluminum alloy available, toe and side clips have been added to the aluminum race plates

For more information on these new products, or other St. Croix Forge Products, visit www.stcroixforge.com.