Horseshoe leagues in Pocatello have end-of-year tournament

The Pocatello Horseshoe League begins in May and ends in September.

“The first part of the season this year there were a couple Wednesdays where it was pretty cold,” said Teresa Iverson, chairperson of the horseshoe league. “We were out there with our coats on, drinking coffee and trying to keep warm.”

She said it makes a nice break in the middle of the week for those who want an activity to participate in through the summer. The cost is $6 every Wednesday, and $6 for the end-of-the-year tournament.

Juan Hernandez is a veteran horseshoe player, and said this year is his best year because he improved his average of ringers to 45. That average is out of every 100 horseshoes thrown, but he says it’s more than just being good.

“It’s mostly going outside and being with your friends,” Hernandez said. “I like the camaraderie of the game, and the competitiveness.”

And first-year player Michael Jones agrees.

“It is a lot of fun,” Jones said. “I’m not really competitive, I’m really just here to have fun. But I’m not going to lie –it’s kind of fun to win.”

The horseshoe tournament began in the late 1980s, and has been hosted at the lower Ross Park horseshoe pits. Budweiser sponsors the league and provides beer for the event.

There are plaques given to the team with the most wins, and at the tournament there are opportunities to win cash. There are also plaques given to those who throw doubles –two ringers in a row.

To ensure everyone is equally matched, the league is divided up into eight divisions. People who throw the most ringers are in the higher divisions, and those tend to be the most competitive.

For anyone who is curious about the league and would be interested in signing up next year, those at the tournament had some thoughts.

“It’s a good outing, it’s out in the sun and it’s something to do in the middle of the week,” Iverson said. “It kind of breaks the week up.”

“Go out with your friends, try it and see if you like it,” Hernandez said. “Most people who try it end up playing.”

“It’s a great area to play in, we’ve got a lot of great players and it’s a good community to be a part of,” Jones said.