INNISFAIL – After more than 30 years, the Innisfail Horseshoe Club held its last tournament at the original site.
The annual event took place at the Innisfail horseshoe courts on May 25 and 26.
Despite some rain, which delayed the opening of the tournament on Saturday (May 25), the event was well attended, said Myrna Kissick, president of the horseshoe club.
“We had to start at 11 a.m. but we had no choice. (The forecast) said it was going to clear up and it did,” said Kissick. “It was raining like crazy (in the morning) and they all showed up,” she added. “That’s horseshoe pitchers' commitment.”
Dozens of horseshoe players from across Alberta came out to enjoy the two-day tournament, including those from Calgary, Claresholm, Red Deer, Ponoka and Innisfail.
“They come from all over,” she said, noting Innisfail mayor Jim Romane was in attendance and spoke to the crowd after throwing the first ceremonial horseshoe to open the event.
“He thanked us for moving and for our cooperation,” said Kissick.
“Things are going good. I’m quite pleased,” she added about the tournament. “I’m really happy with our volunteers and our sponsors.”
The event also featured a live auction with local horseshoer Stu Little and raised some money for the club, she noted.
Kissick said she also received positive feedback from across Canada and the United States about the article the Province ran last week about the upcoming tournament.
“It’s horseshoe news. It went all over,” she said. “Something like this is a big thing for horseshoe pitchers.”
The two-day event was one for the memory books, noted Kissick, adding with a chuckle that she dubbed the tournament the "moving party."
The Innisfail Horseshoe Club is already planning for next year’s tournament in their future home.
“We’re going to have a big event when we have our first tournament there (at the new site),” said Kissick. “We’ll have a ribbon-cutting ceremony and we’ll have another party.”
