Wyatt L. Bienfang – Founder & Blacksmith
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Day after day I walk into my blacksmith shop amazed that I actually get to work in such a wonderful place. As I work each day, my skills as a blacksmith continue to grow, but I find the passion to continue to learn to be the most exciting. It seems each day there is a new challenge that pushes me to learn more about the world of blacksmithing. After more than 30 years of tending a fire in the forge and shaping hot metal with a hammer on the anvil, I am still in awe to see it all happen. I have been so blessed by this trade. The people I get to build and create for deeply enrich my journey, both as a blacksmith and as a person. At times I close my eyes and can picture the blacksmiths who used to work with some of the old tools that now run again in my shop. To be able to grasp these same tools, to create with them as they were originally intended, feels like history is coming alive around me.
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Cory Bienfang
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My son Cory has grown up around the forge and anvils. He has been in the Pioneer Power blacksmith shop for all the shows since our family first stepped foot inside there 20 years ago. From when he was a little boy helping me in our show, to now as an adult, I have always loved our time together building and creating iron work in the blacksmith shop. He is a solid and talented blacksmith in his own right, which is a wonderful asset to the shop. I call on him regularly to help me when I get behind or the job is larger than I can handle myself. I could ask nothing better than to be working alongside my son whom I admire for so many reasons.
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Sue Bienfang
I am deeply grateful to my beautiful bride Sue for her unwavering support and encouragement throughout my journey as a blacksmith and in starting my own shop. Over the years, her contributions to the daily tasks and operations of the shop have been invaluable. Not only that, but she has also developed her own skills as a blacksmith, mastering the use of tongs and a hammer. Her talent and partnership in the shop have been essential to the success of our projects and I could not do it without her.