Meet your people.
Talk shop, share experiences and make new connections. The best conversations do not always happen beside the anvil.
Feel the Spring Games spirit →🇬🇧⌄
Werkman Hoofcare presents • Werkman Spring Games 2027 • Tolbert, The Netherlands • 15–17 April 2027
ONE CRAFT.
ONE COMMUNITY.
From 15–17 April 2027 in Tolbert, The Netherlands, the Werkman Spring Games bring together the world’s largest farrier competition event with a strong lecture programme. Add a major tradeshow, a foodstreet full of foodtrucks and party nights with live bands. This is the Werkman Spring Games.
Tickets & registration ↗Explore the event ↓2027. Bigger atmosphere. More to experience.
Save the date15–17 April 2027
The meeting placeTolbert, The Netherlands
Made for our communityMeet. Learn. Compete.
Public ticket launch
Tickets go on sale on 8 October 2026 at 17:00 CEST / 11:00 AM EDTYour local time: —
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Tickets are live →
✉Already on our Spring Games mailing list? You’ll automatically receive an email when public ticket sales go live.
Questions? Start here.
Ask the team?
Ask about tickets, competition, lectures, travel, hotels, food or the programme.
What would you like to know?
What’s included in my ticket?
What does my ticket cost in total?
Which competition class should I enter?
Where can I find the competition rules?
What do the lectures cost?
What happens on each day?
Where can I stay?
Which hotels are the preferred hotels?
Is there a hotel shuttle?
How do I travel from Schiphol?
Can I reclaim Dutch VAT?
What food and music is there?
What happens on Thursday evening?
Who is playing on Friday night?
Who is playing on Saturday night?
Is there live music during the day?
Which brands will be at the tradeshow?
How do I contact the team?
Suggested questions already route to the right information. A smarter search and answer function can be connected once the 2027 content base is final.
This is our Spring Games
The craft brings us here.
The people bring us back.
Feel the focus around the anvil. Follow the conversations beyond the lecture hall. Share the evenings with your people.
Real moments from previous Spring Games editions.
More than an event
A shared passion.
Three ways to be part of it.
Whether you come to compete, deepen your knowledge or catch up with fellow farriers, this is where our craft brings us together.
Take ideas home.
Make room for fresh perspectives on hoofcare. Lectures and conversations connect knowledge with the work you do every day.
Discover the lectures →Bring your best.
Skill, focus and the sound of steel. Step into the competition or watch fellow farriers put their craftsmanship to the test.
Explore the competition →Programme 2027
Three days.
One complete event.
Competition, knowledge, products, food and live music come together across three days. Exact competition heats and lecture slots will follow; the confirmed entertainment is already shown below.
2027 UPDATEThe 2027 programme is taking shape.
The three-day event structure is confirmed. Exact competition heats, lecture times and selected supporting programme details are still being finalised. We will keep this programme updated as soon as new timings and information are confirmed.
Arrive. Meet. Compete.
Learn. Explore. Connect.
Finals. Ideas. Celebration.
Exact competition, lecture and supporting programme times will be added as they are confirmed.
The competition
Under pressure.
Among friends.
Every hammer blow matters. From the first spark to the final finish, the competition is a celebration of skill, determination and respect for the craft.
Competing or cheering from the sidelines? There is a place for you at the Spring Games.
2027 judges confirmed: Daniel Bennett & Andrea Ridolfo for Open; Tobias Villsen & Christoph Schweppe for Intermediate and Novice / Student. Legend Class judges will follow.
Meet the judges & competition info →Moments from earlier Spring Games editions.
Learning and connecting at earlier editions.
Lectures & knowledge sharing
New perspectives.
Real conversations.
Step away from the daily routine and explore the questions that move our profession forward. Listen, ask questions and exchange ideas with people who share your curiosity.
The 2027 speaker line-up and lecture programme will be announced here.
Questions about the lectures? Get in touch →
The Spring Games spirit
COME FOR THE CRAFT.
STAY FOR THE COMPANY.
A familiar face across the arena. A new idea over a drink. A conversation that continues long after the event. It is the people who make the Spring Games.
Bring a colleague, meet your next friend and spend three days among people who understand your passion.
Flashback
Spring Games 2025.
Three days worth remembering.
Before we look ahead to 2027, take one more look back at Tolbert in 2025: competition, lectures, the tradeshow, live music and — above all — the international farrier community together in one place.
▶2025 · Day 1
The event comes alive.
Arrival, first heats, first conversations and the start of three days together in Tolbert.
▶2025 · Day 2
Craft, knowledge and community.
Competition, lectures, brands and the unmistakable Spring Games atmosphere in full swing.
▶2025 · Day 3
Finals. Friends. Celebration.
The final day brings the competition and the community story of 2025 together.
History of Jack
A familiar face through the editions.
2019A character takes shape.
2021The story continues.
2025Back together in Tolbert.
The tradeshow
Get hands-on.
Get inspired.
A major tradeshow at the heart of the event. Explore farriery tools, products and ideas, meet the people behind the brands and talk about what works in your daily practice.
Tools & products.
Take a closer look at equipment and hoofcare products, and ask the questions that matter to you.
Meet the brands.
Put a face to a name. Share experiences with suppliers and fellow farriers from around the world.
Exhibit with us.
Want to bring your brand to the Spring Games? Contact the Werkman team about the 2027 tradeshow.
Ask about exhibiting →Spring Games partners
Built together.
The Spring Games is strengthened by the brands, suppliers and partners that support our farrier community and help bring the event to life.
Live music 2027
Stay for the night.
Catch the music all day.
The first 2027 entertainment is confirmed. Start with a relaxed Thursday Welcome Evening with a DJ, followed by two live-band nights and roaming live music throughout all three days.
Thursday 15 April · evening
Welcome Evening · DJ
Your first evening together. Arrive, unwind after the journey, meet old friends and new faces, and ease into the Spring Games weekend with relaxed background music from our DJ.
Discover the Welcome Evening →Archive atmosphere photo from an earlier Spring Games edition. DJ image for 2027 to follow.
Friday 16 April · 20:00–00:00
BakeyTown
An interactive live band where the audience helps shape the setlist. Expect requests, humour and a huge range of music.
Meet BakeyTown →Promotional image: BakeyTown / Swinging.nl
Saturday 17 April · 20:00–00:00
Groove Department
Nine musicians, funky versions of current hits and classics, a strong brass sound and plenty of energy for Saturday night.
Meet Groove Department →Promotional image: Groove Department / MEProductions
Thursday–Saturday · daytime
The Great Borrelnootjes
A roaming acoustic duo with vocals, guitar and double bass, bringing familiar songs and relaxed live music directly into the crowd throughout all three days.
Meet The Great Borrelnootjes →Photo: The Great Borrelnootjes
More programme details can be added as the 2027 event schedule develops.
Foodstreet & live bands
Great days.
Even better nights.
The atmosphere does not stop when the competition ends. Find your favourite foodtruck, grab something good to eat and drink, then get together for party nights with live bands.
Your foodstreet.
A wide choice of foodtrucks and plenty of food and drink. Take a break, pull up a seat and make a meal of it.
One more story.
Catch up with old friends and get to know new ones. The foodstreet is part of the experience, not just a pit stop.
Turn it up.
Live bands, party nights and a room full of your people. Share the good times long after the last hammer blow.
The 2027 evening programme starts on Thursday with a relaxed Welcome Evening and DJ. BakeyTown plays Friday night, Groove Department Saturday night, and The Great Borrelnootjes roam the event grounds during all three days.
Less searching. More looking forward.
Plan your Spring Games.
15–17 April 2027 · Tolbert, The Netherlands. Start here for tickets, your stay and practical questions.
Tickets & registrationChoose your tickets for 2027↗Preferred hotels 2027Special Spring Games rates planned · booking code follows→Practical questionsFind the FAQ and visitor information→Talk to the Werkman teamWe are here to help you plan your visit→
2027 hotel plan: Van der Valk Groningen–Hoogkerk and Flonk Hotel Groningen Zuid are expected to be our two preferred hotels. Special Spring Games rates and the booking code will follow. Planned hotel-event transport is expected to operate only from these two hotels.
The Werkman Spring Games
Where knowledge
meets craftsmanship.
The Spring Games brings together what makes our profession special: scientific knowledge, practical skill and the willingness to share both. Farriers from across the world meet in Tolbert to learn from one another, compete and enjoy three days together.
Our long-standing lecture programme connects experienced hoofcare professionals with the questions farriers face in everyday practice. On the competition floor, that same dedication becomes visible in every shoe and every finish.
Between sessions, discover product demonstrations at the tradeshow, meet suppliers and catch up with colleagues. Then stay for the foodstreet and live music. There is as much to remember beyond the arena as there is inside it.
Spring Games / Archive 2025
Keep the memories. Bring the inspiration.
Explore the original 2025 programme booklet, with the lectures, competition and event information from that edition. The 2027 programme will be published separately.
Programme booklet 2025 (PDF) ↗2027 ticket prices
Choose your way
into the Games.
Regular public prices are shown below. The final amount already reflects Dutch VAT, the €1 service fee and the 1.8% booking fee.
Competition
| Class | Excl. VAT | Incl. 21% VAT | Checkout total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Class | €549.00 | €664.29 | €677.27 |
| Intermediate Class | €549.00 | €664.29 | €677.27 |
| Legend Class — NEW · 55+ | €549.00 | €664.29 | €677.27 |
| Novice Class | €349.00 | €422.29 | €430.91 |
Legend Class: for competitors aged 55+ and subject to a minimum of 10 confirmed entries.
Competition prices & details →Lectures
| Ticket | Excl. VAT | Incl. 21% VAT | Checkout total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | €549.00 | €664.29 | €677.27 |
| Student complete | €349.00 | €422.29 | €430.91 |
| 1 day | €279.00 | €337.59 | €344.68 |
| Student · 1 day | €179.00 | €216.59 | €221.51 |
Partner ticket
| Ticket | Excl. VAT | Incl. 21% VAT | Checkout total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner ticket | €149.00 | €180.29 | €184.55 |
For accompanying guests. Not intended as a professional competition or lecture ticket.
How the checkout total is calculated
Base price excluding VAT → +21% Dutch VAT → +€1.00 service fee → +1.8% booking fee. The total shown in the final column is the expected checkout amount, rounded to two decimals.
Base price excluding VAT → +21% Dutch VAT → +€1.00 service fee → +1.8% booking fee. The total shown in the final column is the expected checkout amount, rounded to two decimals.
What’s included
More than a ticket.
Your event experience is included.
Complete / full-event ticket
9 drink tokens1 dinner1 lunch
Day ticket
3 drinks1 lunch
Exact inclusions depend on the ticket type selected. The booking flow always shows the current 2027 package details before payment.
International business visitors: Dutch VAT is charged because the event takes place in the Netherlands. Foreign businesses may be eligible to reclaim Dutch VAT under the applicable VAT-refund rules. EU businesses normally submit the refund request through the tax authority in their country of establishment. Eligibility depends on your business and tax situation; please check with your own tax authority or adviser.
