51黑料

Twenty-five contestants tried their luck this weekend at the annual horseshoe competition hosted in Innisfail since 1987. The two-day event ran 10 to 4 each day and was broken into various classes.

鈥淵ou have to throw with ease, there鈥檚 a knack to it,鈥� said Charlie Whatley, who competed over the weekend. He took up horseshoeing two years ago after moving to Innisfail from Wimborne. Now, he鈥檚 hooked.

鈥淭he first year, I lost every game,鈥� he said of his first experience with the weekend tournament. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e moved up from the E class,鈥� he said, explaining the game is divided into levels between A and E with E being for novice players. 鈥淚鈥檓 now all the way up to B class,鈥� he said, adding that he won the B class title last year.

Whatley is part of the 65 plus group of players who have to throw a distance of 30 feet instead of 40, explained Innisfail and District Horseshoes Club president, Myrna Kissick. She said the length was shortened so people can still play the game, and the number of members can stay strong.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a little down this year in entries all over,鈥� said Kissick, who added last year the competition hosted 23 competitors. She said the club is always looking for more players and is always eager to attract younger people as well.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fun. People think, 鈥榃ell gee I can do that,鈥� but it鈥檚 like any other sport, it takes the proper training, a proper way to throw, a proper way to stand. The horseshoes weigh 2.5 pounds 鈥� your arm gets a workout every time you throw a good shoe.鈥�

She said the game is one of the oldest sports going, having started with Roman soldiers during the second century.

鈥淚t鈥檚 called the aerobic sport of sports. You use every muscle in the body when you鈥檙e pitching shoes. It鈥檚 not strenuous either. It鈥檚 a very laid-back sport.鈥�

Players came from all over the area including Calgary, Red Deer and Nanninga.