OKLAHOMA HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION
JUNE/JULY 2009 NEWSLETTER
||| 2009 Pitching Schedule ||| Tina's Horseshoe Pitching Scrapbook ||| OHPA Officers ||| NHPA |||
OKLAHOMA OPEN – JUNE 13
Get ready for the FUN!! It’s almost time for the Oklahoma Open horseshoe tournament!

It will be held at Yukon City Park on Saturday, June 13.

As always, we will be trying to show you a really good time! Come prepared to participate in the “Just For Fun” games, the prize drawings and of course the GINORMOUS tailgate party!!

Contact Tina Hawkins if you have items you would like to donate for the drawing.

Several people have already committed items to the drawing, including MOM’S SEWING, a business run by Alice Howard. If you like her items, she will be available at the tournament to take special orders.

All proceeds from the drawing and tailgate party will go to the Junior Scholarship Fund to help provide continued education after high school to our young people.

Contact David Montgomery at 405-206-1581 by 7:00 p.m. Wednesday June 10 to enter.

100th ANNIVERSARY W.T. PINS
Pins commemorating the 100th anniversary of NHPA World Championships are still available for $3 each. If you haven’t already got yours, you will be able to at the Oklahoma Open. Contact Tina Hawkins.

21 OKIES TO PITCH AT WORLD

Oklahoma is making a great showing at the NHPA World Horseshoe Championships in Springfield, IL. Twenty-one of our statesmen (and women) are on the roster.

They are Leonard and Georgia Burke, OKC; Homer and Ginger Cain, Marland; Meannda and David Davis, Wright City; Mike Deer, Holdenville; Jerel Flora, Pawnee; Larry Fordyce, Guthrie; Jacob Fortune and Glenn King, Sand Springs; August and Darlene Hansmeyer, Norman; Randy, Garry and Cathy Jackson and Tina Hawkins, Marlow; David Mallory, Watts; Al Ross, Proctor; Thomas Shannon, Claremore; and Johney Vanderburg, Moore.

Please show your support to all these competitors with a handshake or a pat on the back and wish them well. Follow their progress online at www.horseshoepitching.com throughout the two weeks of the event.

NHPA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Each year, the officers of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association select a small handful of people who continually exhibit commitment and dedication to the sport of horseshoe pitching and the World Horseshoe Tournament year after year to recognize them in front of all their peers for their achievements.

This year, Oklahoma’s own Leonard and Georgia Burke will be receiving the NHPA Achievement Award during the NHPA Hall of Fame banquet for their hard work and service throughout the years.

If you are competing in the 2009 World Tournament, make plans to attend the banquet to support them on Sunday, August 2. Information for obtaining tickets can be found along with your pitching schedule that will be arriving in the mail.

Congratulations, Leonard and Georgia and thank you for all that you do!!

STATE DOUBLES TOURNAMENT
The State Doubles Tournament will be held at the Wild Horse Ringers courts in Redbud Park at Marlow, on the 4th of July.

The town will be bustling and the park will be chock-full of extra-curricular Independence Day activities, including vendor booths, food booths, carnival rides, gun fights and live entertainment.

The festivities will begin with the annual 4th of July parade down Main Street and culminate with an evening concert, free to the public, and one of Southwest Oklahoma’s largest public fireworks displays.

Efforts are underway to obtain sponsorship for the tournament, resulting in cash prizes for first place in each division. Contact Tina Hawkins at 580-658-3923 or tinahawk@msn.com to enter. Entry fee is $20 per team.

EDMOND CLUB NEWS
The Edmond Horseshoe Club gave itself a kick-start, Thursday, May 28th with a Pro-Am Tournament. Thirteen regular members (the “Pros”) brought twelve new pitchers (the “Ams”) with them. The evening proved to be fun for all 25 pitches and the 3 guests present for pitching and a cookout.

All “Ams” indicated they would return for more pitching. This is a great way to instantly DOUBLE the membership in your club or league.

Regular league play will commence on Thursday, June 4th at 7:00 p.m. in Hafer Park. Contact league coordinator, Georgia Burke at 405-570-9297 for more information.

The June 27 Edmond tournament on the OHPA schedule as “The Hogan Open” has been changed to “The Freedom Open.” It is a celebration of our U.S. Veterans. Any veterans who enter this tournament will receive a $2 discount on their entry fee. Contact Patty Hogan at 405-740-1490 to enter.

GLENCOE LEAGUE NEWS
League play will be starting soon at Boyd Davidson Park in Glencoe. The first meeting is Wednesday, June 3, during which the day and time of regular league play will be determined.

For more information contact Karen Flora at 918-454-2468.

LEAGUE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT- NEW VENUE
Due to severe storm damage to the Atterbury Arena, the 2009 NHPA League National Tournament, October 10 – 11, has been moved to the NHPA Hall of Fame facility at Wentzville, MO.

To qualify for the League National Tournament, you must have pitched in a league THIS YEAR prior to the tournament deadline of August 24. Each member of your 3-person team must have participated in the same league.

Now is the time to start organizing your team and making sure everyone is pitching in the same league!

There is a 20 team limit, so consider getting your entry in early!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEONARD!!
Leonard Burke celebrated a milestone birthday on May 25th. He turned a very young 80-years old! He would like to thank everyone who sent birthday cards from all over the U.S. and Canada.

CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL/CHUCK WAGON GATHERING
For the fourth year, the OHPA presented a hands-on horseshoe pitching exhibit at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame’s annual Children’s Festival and Chuck Wagon Gathering over the Memorial Day weekend.

During the two-day event, approximately 580 children and adults tried their hand at horseshoes.

The following people dedicated at least one day, some of them the entire weekend to presenting our sport to the gathering:

Homer and Ginger Cain; Tom Hawkins; Larry Fordyce; Ron, Amy and Tyler Agnew; Johney Vanderburg; Kathy Greene; Karen and Jerel Flora; and Tina Hawkins.

The event provided much exposure for the OHPA and several names of prospective new members were collected.

We will more than likely be invited to exhibit next year as well. Please keep this in mind when you are marking activities on your calendar. We can never have too many volunteers – and it is truly a rewarding experience.

DON’T MISS IMPORTANT INFORMATION - KEEP YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS CURRENT!! Occasionally, important, timely information pertaining to the Oklahoma Horseshoe Pitchers is relayed through email. Don’t miss out on any of this information!! If you change your email address, please drop a line to Tina Hawkins at tinahawk@msn.com or Charlotte Bowen at bowenfarms@sbcglobal.net so you will be kept current on the OHPA distribution list.

If you have items you would like considered for publication in the OHPA newsletter, email tinahawk@msn.com

or snail mail to:

Tina Hawkins
Rt. 4, Box 52
Marlow, OK 73055