1997 World Horseshoe Pitching Tournament in Kitchener (Ontario)
The first official World Tournament was held in Bronson, Kansas in 1910.
A few years later the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association was founded.
In 1940, the World Tournament was to be held at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)
in Toronto, but due partially to World War II (Canadian soldiers were occupying and
training at the CNE), the NHPA chose to hold the event in DesMoines, Iowa. The buildings
at the CNE were finally emptied and cleaned to accomodate the Fair in 1940 and a big
international horseshoe event was held, called the "Canadian Open". It was won by Larry
Mahoney from New Jersey. The CNE and the Canadian horseshoe association later hosted three
(3) North Amercian Championships in which many americans participated. Dean McLaughlin won
it in 1960, then lost a playoff to Carl Steinfeldt in 1967, and Elmer Hohl won the event in
1968.
In 1997, the first World Horseshoe Pitching Tournament ever held outside the
U.S. was hosted by the City of Kitchener, Ontario. A record total of 1740 entries were
registered (deadline was May 1), including 415 from Canada, 8 from Japan and 1 from Norway.
This greatest horseshoe tournament ever held in Canada took place at the Kitchener
Memorial Auditorium from July 14 to 26, 1997. For more details on this great tournament,
you can take a look at these links:
The NHPA web site posted the complete tournament schedule and for the first time on the web, the tournament
results daily from July 14 to 26!
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