Note: the following profile was presented a few years ago for his nomination to the HC Hall of Fame. The picture of Don Griffith was taken at the 2002 Canadian Championships. His last "Nationals", he was the driving force behind the hosting of the championships at his home club Calgary. A year earlier, he won the 2001 Canadian Senior Mens' 30' championship.
Born October 12, 1931 in Sunnynook, Alberta, Donald moved to Calgary as a young adult. His involvment with horseshoes is extensive. Don was active with the Forest Lawn “Night Owls” a forerunner of the present day Calgary Horeseshoe Club.
In 1979, he started and compiled, the ringer percentage system that is still in use today in the AHPA.
In 1980, he became First Vice-President of the AHPA. In 1981, Don was elected Second Vice-President and Statistician. He was instrumental in helping to start a horseshoe club on the Blood Indian Reserve at Standoff in 1982.
President of AHPA: Elected October 1983-84, October 1985-87, October 1993 to the present time.
Don contacted the Gaming Commission in 1984 and arrangements were made to hold a casino February 1-2 1985 at which he was general manager at Arkay Casino. A second Casino was held in July which netted the AHPA around $13000.00. He still works casinos and bingos to raise money for the AHPA and the Calgary Club.
In 1986, Don applied and received Provincial grants from the Alberta Sports Council and Alberta Parks and Recreation. That year a Horseshoe Hotline was established in Calgary. 1986 was also the year the Western Classic came into being and Don has helped with that to the present.
In 1987, Don Griffith and Jack Moulding met with Donnie Roberts to see how the NHPA operated. From that meeting they decided the AHPA was going to have to help Horseshoe Canada financially if we wanted our national organization to be strong. He proposed Alberta pay Horseshoe Canada $1 per member which was accepted and carried on since.
Don’s paid employment got in the way of his volunteering for horseshoes a few years but since his retirement he has worked steady for the betterment of the organization. He has made plaques for the AHPA, Western Classic, and Canadian competitions. He was very active in the World Police/Fire Games in Calgary in 1997.
In the ’90s he has instituted two-day workshop meetings within AHPA for the direction the Association should go.
In 2000, Don completed a cabinet to become a permanent home for Horseshoe Canada, western Classic and AHPA memorabilia.
Don also found time to play the game of horseshoes.
