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Making a pitch for bringing tournament back
onson, the same location of the first-ever horseshoe pitching World Tournament in 1909, is long overdue for the sport to return to its roots. Monday evening, Bronson Ruritans discussed the possibility of making that happen.
Dave Mathewson of Gas originally proposed the idea of holding an official horseshoe pitching contest in the city during Bronson's November City Council meeting. Mathewson is a member of the Topeka 2015 World Horseshoe Tournament steering committee.
"My principal concern is bringing awareness to the horseshoes and the history behind it," Mathewson told the Tribune. "And to stimulate interest in the junior pitchers, because that's the future of horseshoes."
Also assisting Mathewson with his Monday presentation was longtime horseshoe pitcher Neil Hartwig of Iola. Mathewson and Hartwig talked about horseshoe pitching's heritage in Kansas, official regulations governing such an event and various throwing techniques horseshoe pitchers utilize.
Information distributed by Mathewson to the Ruritans chronicled previous horseshoe pitching World Champions. The first World Champion was Frank Jackson of Blue Mound. According to information provided by Mathewson, the event in 1909 was "contained within a seven-acre wooded thicket about two-and-a-half blocks from the current city park."
The 1909 World Tournament was held 38 years after the founding of Bronson. A prominent auctioneer, Col. L.D. Long was instrumental in putting together the tournament, "in conjunction with his popular horse auction," which attracted in the vicinity of 1,000 people. Jackson, who was crowned champion of the two-day event, took home the grand prize of $2.50 plus a belt. Jackson, a farmer, was also gifted a pair of golden horseshoes by residents of his hometown. The legend goes, Jackson practiced pitching horseshoes while his horses rested comfortably in the field, the information from Mathewson said.
At that time, no official rules and regulations had been established for horseshoe pitching contests. Horseshoe weight and size requirements also had yet to be established. Mathewson's information states "it was governed by what the community wanted."
After Mathewson concluded his presentation, Ruritan Club members discussed the need for potential renovations in the city park where the event would be held. Among ideas mentioned by club members were renovations to the park's bathrooms. The members also discussed scheduling the event to coincide the event with Bronson Day in early May 2014.
Attending the meeting were Bronson Mayor Alan Stewart and Bourbon County Commissioner Allen Warren. Stewart said he felt the event would be a positive thing for the City of Bronson as well as Bourbon County.
"I think it would be great," Warren told the Tribune. "That's where it all started, so that would be appropriate to have a nationally-ranked contest there. I think it would be good for everyone (in Bourbon County)."
Hartwig said the tournament would also help promote the World Tournament in July 2015 in Topeka. According to a press release, "the two-week world tournament is held each summer to crown class champions and an overall World Champion horseshoe pitcher in each of eight divisions -- men, women, senior men (60+), senior women (60+), elder men (70+), junior boys (12-18), junior girls (12-18), and junior cadets (12-years old and under)."
More information relating to this event, as well as other horseshoe pitching tournaments and leagues, can be found at www.topekahorseshoe.com and www.horseshoepitching.com.