The 2021 Pioneer Horseman Award Recipient is Nancy Duggan
Nancy Elizabeth (Eastman) Duggan
April 19, 1947 - October 22, 2019
The Pioneer Award is given yearly by the Minnesota Horse Council to an outstanding Horseman recently deceased, who has made significant contributions to the horse industry. Nancy Duggan is our recipient for the year of 2021. Nancy was 72 when she passed on October 22nd, 2019 after a long courageous battle with cancer.
Nancy was born in Elk River, and later graduated from Elk River HS in 1965. She, along with her husband Richard, owned and operated Duggan Farrier Supplies and the Minnesota School of Horseshoeing in Ramsey since 1976. The school has served as a nationally recognized place for individuals to come and learn the art of blacksmithing and caring for the horse’s feet offering professional Farrier classes 3 times a year. Each year in the spring, farriers are invited to the school for a day of continuing educational presentations and demonstrations by nationally renowned farriers related to hoof care. Duggan Farrier Supplies has grown into a second-generation professional supply store for the industry due to her dedication and training her children in the business aspects of the trade.
She would rarely forget a face once she met you, was excellent at customer service and would enjoy seeing the young nervous faces coming through the school over the years turn into earned confidence, competent farriers through her support of them and her unwavering faith in them.
She, along with Richard, was instrumental in starting the MN Horse Expo in 1984 guiding the beginning years in growth and giving ownership to the MN Horse Council in 1987. She initiated Minnesota EquiFest in 2007. It was created to bring folks together in the fall to celebrate horses and horse ownership. The first two years EquiFest was held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The following years it was moved to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Nancy invited a small group of interested horse enthusiasts to form a committee to help plan the event each year. Much like the Minnesota Horse Expo, EquiFest featured educational seminars, entertainment and retail sales. The last year for this fall equine event was 2013.
Nancy has supported with her time, sponsored with her money or farrier products, nearly every Farrier contest in the state for 40 year helping countless farriers achieve the success they deserve through her hard work and compassion for both horse and man.
Nancy and Richard lived at their home in Elk River on the shore of the Elk River. She loved her flat coated retrievers, gardens, and appreciated natural beauty in all forms including the river life and birds. The Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge was a special place to visit. Nancy quilted blankets, baked birthday cakes for the grandkids, attended the YMCA, headed the ’65 Reunion Committee, was active at Central Lutheran Church, and even traveled across the US and Europe.
She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Richard Duggan; sons, Robert (Stephanie) Duggan and Danner (Logan) Duggan; daughter, Hedda (Patrick) Doyle; sisters, Susan Peterson and Sharon Johnson; and grandchildren, Sawyer, Alyra, Ian, Owen.