Canadian Horseshoe Pitching Champions crowned in Blainville
Men’s final
Blainville, August 17, 2011– The Canadian Horseshoe Pitching Championships were held from August 11-14, 2011 at Blainville’s EquestrianPark. There were 241 entries, making it the 6th largest of the history of these championships which began in 1927. Eight provinces were represented: Quebec (117 entries), Ontario (66), Saskatchewan (17), New Brunswick and Alberta (13), B.C. (11), Manitoba and Nova Scotia (2). The start was given with the opening ceremonies Thursday, August 11 at 9 am, with the presence of Honorary President Yvan Cournoyer, former Montreal Canadiens hockey star.
Two champions successfully defended their title earned last year in Victoria : Sylvianne Moisan who captured her 15th women’s title, and Scotty Lumb who is Junior Boys Champion for the 4th consecutive year. All other champions won their first title in 2011, except Colin Finnie, now in its eighth feat of its kind in the Men’s. In this division, a playoff was needed to break a four-way tie for first place. In the semi-finals, Finnie first defeated Duncan MacKenzie from Nova Scotia 42-25, while Adam Ellis came back from behind to defeat Ron Parisien 40-39. In the finals, Finnie emerged against Ellis 40-15, helped by 27 ringers out of 38 shoes.
The longest game of the tournament lasted 86 shoes when Duncan MacKenzie (75.6%) edged Ron Parisien (73.3%) by the close score of 42-37, at the ninth round. The high game was achieved by Scotty Lumb with 17 ringers out of 20 shoes (85%), while the highest overall ringer average for the tournament was the work of Sylvianne Moisan with 75% or 423 ringers in 564 shoes pitched. Besides Sylvianne, at least five other members of the host league (Blainville horseshoe league) won gold in their class. They are: Mario Gascon, Jacques Desmarais, Richard Perreault, Danielle Paré and Richard Sicard.
Other champions of the various divisions are Alvin Nanninga from Alberta (Elders), Ontario’s Frank Weaver (Senior Men), Annette Tria from Quebec (Senior Women), Ontarian Kaitlyn Pond (Junior Girls) and Dalton Thomas of B.C. (PeeWee). The latter, age 7, was also the youngest participant of the championships, while the oldest was 89-years old Jack Adams.
The event held at the BlainvilleEquestrianPark was a huge success, including the final banquet that numbered about 200 people. Among the presentations there were special gifts courtesy of the City of Blainville, from Mr. Guy Frigon, president of the Equestrian park, and the Mayor representative Mrs Nicole Ruel. Horseshoe Canada also inducted Angeline Moisan as a member of the Hall of Fame. After the medal presentations to the various winners, we proceeded to formal transfer of the “Silver Shoe” showing the hosts of the annual championships. Rene Croteau, president of the Blainville horseshoe league, presented the “Silver Shoe” to Tammy Christensen, president of Horseshoe Saskatchewan, which will host the event next year in Saskatoon.
The great horseshoe pitching family was reunited in the beautiful setting of the equestrian park, in a festive and fraternal atmosphere of which participants will likely keep very good memories. Thanks to the generous support from the City of Blainville and EquestrianPark, from the Quebec horseshoe Federation and its clubs, sponsors, our many volunteers (not just those of the Organizing Committee), members of the Blainville League and participants. Thanks also to Horseshoe Canada and more particularly to tournament directors Wally and Sheryl Arnold, for their dedication. Our organizing committee will certainly also keep lasting memories…
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Information : André Leclerc 514-252-3032
http://www.horseshoecanada.ca/2011/
Note. : The list of the various winners of the championships, and their provenance, is shown below.
2011 Canadian Horseshoe Pitching Championships
Champions :
Men’s A – Colin Finnie, Kenaston, Sask. (66.6%)
Women’s A – Sylvianne Moisan, L’Epiphanie, Qc (75.0%) ***
Senior 30’ (Elders) A– Alvin Nanninga, Neerlandia, Alb. (70.2%)
Senior Men’s A – Frank Weaver, Waterford, Ont. (56.5%)
Senior Women’s A – Annette Tria, Grenville, Qc (53.8%)
Junior Boys – Scotty Lumb, Aylmer, Ont. (61.9%)
Junior Girls – Kaitlyn Pond, Aylmer, Ont. (35.3%)
PeeWee – Dalton Thomas, Victoria, B.C. (10.4%)
Winners of the other classes :
Men’s B – Mario Gascon, Bellefeuille, Qc (46.6%) ***
Men’s C – Dana Howell, Belleville, Ont. (55.2%)
Men’s D – Jacques Desmarais, St-Roch de L’Achigan, Qc (43.9%) ***
Men’s E – Gilles Grenier, Beauport, Qc (44.8 %)
Men’s F – Greg Palumbo, Barry’s Bay, Ont. (38.4%)
Men’s G – Glen Rideout, Brampton, Ont. (46.6%)
Men’s H – Ed Sikkema, Newmarket, Ont. (36.2%)
Men’s I – Dave Fisher, Perth, Ont. (38.0%)
Men’s J – Paul Blais, Daveluyville, Qc (32.0%)
Men’s K – Norm Henry Jr, Trenton, Ont. (32.1%)
Men’s L – Ross Lemay, Shanty Bay, Ont. (29.1%)
Men’s M – Denis Chaput, St-Germain de Grantham, Qc (23.4%)
Men’s N – Doug Brown, Aylmer, Ont. (18.0%)
Men’s O – Richard Perreault, Sainte-Thérèse, Qc (15.5%) ***
Men’s P – Max Parker, St.Thomas, Ont. (20.5%)
Women’s B – Rosanne Laforest, Terrebonne, Qc (45.4%)
Women’s C – Danielle Paré, Montréal, Qc (48.9%) ***
Women’s D – Tammy Beliski, Kitchener, Ont. (40.7%)
Women’s E – Jean Brousseau, Airdrie, Alb. (34.1%)
Women’s F – Martha Barker, Canal, N.B. (29.1%)
Women’s G – Monique Labrèche, Rockland, Ont. (21.2%)
Senior 30’ (Elders) B – Jerry Melissa, Youbou, B.C. (49.8%)
Senior 30’ (Elders) C – John Jansen, Guelph, Ont. (50.2%)
Senior 30’ (Elders) D – Richard Sicard, Ste-Dorothée-Laval (43.7%) ***
Senior 30’ (Elders) E – Jacob Fehr, Swift Current, Sask. (28.8%)
Senior 30’ (Elders) F – Jerry Melissa, Youbou, B.C. (49.8%)
Juniors B – Daniel Squires, Saskatoon, Sask. (18.2%)
*** Blainville horseshoe league members
