Horseshoe Pitchers Stake Out Points In Thursday Tournament
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The clang of steel against steel was heard ringing from the Kosciusko County Fairground's camping area where the horseshoe tournament was under way Thursday afternoon.
The annual tournament began at 4 p.m. with five men, two women and one reluctant junior participating.
"Go ahead and sign up," organizer Stan Loy advised Susie Hamilton about the junior division. "All you have to do is throw one shoe for the trophy. You're the only one here."
"For real?" Hamilton asked. She signed up, stepped to the 30-foot line and gave the U-shaped device a toss. It landed in the pit, not quite close enough for a point.
"Now throw it back," Loy instructed. She did, this time coming within 6 inches of the stake to score one point.
The regulation distance for horseshoes is 40 feet with a 3-foot fault mark at the 37-foot mark.
Women, boys aged 16 and younger and men 70-years-old and older have the option to pitch from a distance of 30 feet.
Shoes weigh between 2.8 and 2.10 pounds. The distance between caulks, the angled points at the end of the shoes, is supposed to be 6 inches.
Loy demonstrated the proper way to hold a shoe, near a curve in an arm, keeping fingertips from curling over the edge.
Right-handed pitchers throw from the left hand of the pit, with left-handed pitchers on the other side.
On approach, competitors take one step forward, bringing the throwing arm from back to front, with the release "at eye level," according to Loy.
"That'll put it right in there," he said.
A "soft" steel shoe is preferred over hard steel.
Thursday's tournament was just for fun, to promote the sport.
Competitive leagues are sanctioned by the National Horseshoe Pitching Association. There is one in Plymouth and another in Columbia City.
Connie Reimer recently built an indoor arena on her property between Columbia City and South Whitley on Ind. 205.
Reimer has been throwing for five years. To practice during the winter, she and other pitchers traveled to Spencerville, north of Fort Wayne.
She plans to organize a league there in September.
National competitions are held across the U.S. There is one Saturday in Huntington. A World Horseshoe Tournament will be in Eau Claire, Wisc., in August.
Loy plans to participate in both upcoming tournaments. He practices about an hour a day, throwing an average of 300 shoes daily.
The local tournament began with a match-lighting contest. Wooden matches were taped to the stake and the first person to make a match fire, won.
Yesterday's pitchers played to 21. Ringers were worth three points. Landings within 6 inches scored one point.
"Ringers cancel ringers," Loy said. "Points cancel points."
In other words, if the first thrower had a ringer and the second thrower threw a ringer, the first thrower's points are cancelled.
For more information about the Columbia City indoor court and fall leagues, call Reimer at 260-248-2826.
On the Net: www.nhpa.com [[In-content Ad]]
The clang of steel against steel was heard ringing from the Kosciusko County Fairground's camping area where the horseshoe tournament was under way Thursday afternoon.
The annual tournament began at 4 p.m. with five men, two women and one reluctant junior participating.
"Go ahead and sign up," organizer Stan Loy advised Susie Hamilton about the junior division. "All you have to do is throw one shoe for the trophy. You're the only one here."
"For real?" Hamilton asked. She signed up, stepped to the 30-foot line and gave the U-shaped device a toss. It landed in the pit, not quite close enough for a point.
"Now throw it back," Loy instructed. She did, this time coming within 6 inches of the stake to score one point.
The regulation distance for horseshoes is 40 feet with a 3-foot fault mark at the 37-foot mark.
Women, boys aged 16 and younger and men 70-years-old and older have the option to pitch from a distance of 30 feet.
Shoes weigh between 2.8 and 2.10 pounds. The distance between caulks, the angled points at the end of the shoes, is supposed to be 6 inches.
Loy demonstrated the proper way to hold a shoe, near a curve in an arm, keeping fingertips from curling over the edge.
Right-handed pitchers throw from the left hand of the pit, with left-handed pitchers on the other side.
On approach, competitors take one step forward, bringing the throwing arm from back to front, with the release "at eye level," according to Loy.
"That'll put it right in there," he said.
A "soft" steel shoe is preferred over hard steel.
Thursday's tournament was just for fun, to promote the sport.
Competitive leagues are sanctioned by the National Horseshoe Pitching Association. There is one in Plymouth and another in Columbia City.
Connie Reimer recently built an indoor arena on her property between Columbia City and South Whitley on Ind. 205.
Reimer has been throwing for five years. To practice during the winter, she and other pitchers traveled to Spencerville, north of Fort Wayne.
She plans to organize a league there in September.
National competitions are held across the U.S. There is one Saturday in Huntington. A World Horseshoe Tournament will be in Eau Claire, Wisc., in August.
Loy plans to participate in both upcoming tournaments. He practices about an hour a day, throwing an average of 300 shoes daily.
The local tournament began with a match-lighting contest. Wooden matches were taped to the stake and the first person to make a match fire, won.
Yesterday's pitchers played to 21. Ringers were worth three points. Landings within 6 inches scored one point.
"Ringers cancel ringers," Loy said. "Points cancel points."
In other words, if the first thrower had a ringer and the second thrower threw a ringer, the first thrower's points are cancelled.
For more information about the Columbia City indoor court and fall leagues, call Reimer at 260-248-2826.
On the Net: www.nhpa.com [[In-content Ad]]