The Indiana State Horseshoe Tournament kicked off on Saturday morning and continued through Sunday at Dorner Park where horseshoe pitching enthusiasts vied for top finishes amongst over 60 participants.
The Indiana Horseshoe Pitchers Association held its annual state tournament in Frankfort at the Curt Day Horseshoe Courts where participants competed for trophies and plaques in varying categories, such as men’s, women’s, junior’s and elder’s divisions. The tournament kicked off with speeches from Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets, Mark Genda, District 41 Representative, and George Dorner who welcomed the participants and threw the first pitches of the tournament.
Dorner stated that the horseshoe courts at Dorner Park have proven to be an amenity for the Frankfort community due to the consistent upkeep and versatility of the courts. Frankfort hosted the state tournament this year while Kokomo will host the tournament next year, but Frankfort will still remain as a hotspot for tournaments in 2024. Dorner stated that the consistent use of the courts for the prestigious tournament has proven that the Curt Day Horseshoe Courts remain as one of the best facilities in the state for the sport.
“These are, I understand, about the best courts in Indiana,” Dorner said. “My grandfather was involved at the outset. One of the things he did was find some fancy clay in Kentucky–blue clay that they used for the courts.”
Association President Sam Payne, who secured his reelection on Saturday, stated that the impact of horseshoe pitching on the lives of the participants runs deeper than a trophy or cash prize. As a result of Payne’s efforts as president, dedication to the sport and cultivation of the horseshoe pitching family, he received the honor of being inducted into the Indiana Horseshoe Pitchers’ Hall of Fame this year.
“It’s like one big family,” Payne said. “Everybody knows everybody, and we take care of each other. If somebody’s having problems, we’re there.”
After securing his reelection as president of the association, Payne shared plans for recruiting new members of the junior age groups to continue growing the family that is proudly represented in the sport.
“We’re going to do some things differently here this next summer,” Payne said. “We’re going to set up three courts out here, and we’re going to let them come out and play bean bag or cornhole to see if we can’t get the adults that pitch cornhole and their kids eight years and older up to 18 in juniors to learn how to horseshoe.”
In the spirit of cultivating a family in Frankfort and throughout the state through horseshoe pitching, Dorner was joined by three grandsons from Chicago during the event. Dee Sullivan, one of the three in attendance, stated that exploring the amenities of Frankfort throughout the two-day event and seeing the passion the association members held for horseshoe pitching struck him, and he pledged to try his hand at horseshoe pitching after the tournament.
“This is my first time in Frankfort, and I’m glad to be here at Dorner Park for the horseshoe event,” Sullivan said. “We got to meet the mayor, one of the state reps for Indiana, and of course my grandad was the third honorary guest, which was a huge honor. I’m looking forward to pitching later.”
Sullivan continued to state that the courts and the entirety of Dorner Park were a part of the Dorner family legacy that he will never forget.
“It’s an amazing legacy, and I’m so happy my grandfather has continued that,” Sullivan said. “Though I’m not a Dorner legally by name, I’m glad to be part of the Dorner family and legacy.”
Sheets stated that the tournament and the draw of the horseshoe courts have provided an opportunity for Frankfort to receive recognition from visitors outside of the county, such as members who participated from Plymouth, Jasper, Hebron, Crown Point and more throughout the two-day tournament.
“I think it’s really great to have people come in from other areas to see what a great facility we have here,” Sheets said. “Many people in the City of Frankfort spend a lot of time here, and they do a lot of work to keep this up. I just hope that everyone has a great day and gets the opportunity to visit some things in Frankfort. I think it’s great to see this many people come in and see what’s going on.”
The winners of the varying divisions receive a trophy or plaque for their participation, and some divisions will also win a cash prize. Stay tuned to Clinton County Daily News and Boone County Daily News for tournament results on Monday.
