jlabro6186@aol.com,
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association is pleased to announce the 2014 World Horseshoe Pitching Championships, to be held in Hamburg, NY, July 14 – 26, 2014.
Forty-eight portable horseshoe courts will be set up at the Hamburg Fairgrounds and Event Center for the 2-week event, with all games being recorded on an electronic scoring system.
This two-week event is held once each summer to crown a World Champion horseshoe pitcher in each of eight divisions – Open Men, Open Women, Senior Men, Senior Women, Elder (short-distance) Men, Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Junior Cadets (12-years old and under).
Entrants hail from the United States and six Canadian provinces – all vying for titles of World Champion. Previous years have seen competitors from South Africa, Namibia, Japan and Norway.
Current Men’s world champion, Alan Francis of Defiance, OH, currently holds 18 World Championships in the Men’s division – a record for most World Championships - and will once again be attempting to break that record. Alan currently holds a 90.84% overall average.
Number two ranked, Brian Simmons, VT, with a ringer average of 85.73% will be battling Alan for the title. Both men have improved their percentages since last year’s showing. Brian has three World Championships to his name.
In the Women’s division, defending champion, Cindy Hoffman, PA, will be attempting to hold on to her title. She will be competing against 6-time World Champion, Joan Elmore, TN, with 80.87%, 7-time World Champion, Sue Snyder, IN, with a 73.06%, and 4-time World Champion, Sylvianne Moisan, from Quebec, who holds a 72.54% ringer average.
The 2013 Elder Champion, Ed Arionus, TX, is not defending his title, this year, but there will still be stiff competition for that crown. The top three competitors for that championship boast ringer percentages over 80%. They are David Holmes, WV, with 84.92; former champ, Russ Phillips, WA with 82.73; and Virgil Rife, OH, with 82.55%. 2-time World Champion, Herschel Walters, IN, will be in the mix with a 79.6% average, as well.
In the Junior division, back-to-back boys’ champion, Dalton Rakestraw, IL, will be going for his third straight win; 2013 girls’ champion, Lindsay Hodgins, BC, will be trying for her second win; and former champs, Steven Lazaris, Ryan Schepers will be battling it out in a field of 21 Cadet pitchers for their titles.
Competition will begin by 7:00 a.m. each morning through the preliminary rounds, starting Monday, July 14, with a break for NHPA convention and Hall of Fame banquet on Sunday, then will resume at 7:00 a.m. Monday, July 21.
Admission is free and spectators are encouraged for all levels of competition. Concessions and souvenirs will be available.
To follow the event online or to learn more about the National Horseshoe
Pitchers Association, visit www.horseshoepitching.com or contact NHPA 2nd Vice President, Tina Hawkins.
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