NHPA Tournaments:

On August 17, 2008 I entered my first NHPA sanctioned tournament, the Inland Empire Memorial held in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Placed in Class A with five men, I won all five of my matches with an average ringer percentage of 56.01% (121 ringers in 216 shoes), winning class A and taking home a nice tournament champion patch. The 56.01% ringer percentage put me in the "Top 100 Women pitchers" in the USA.

On June 20, 2009 I pitched in the NHPA-sanctioned Elmer Currie Classic tournament in Coeur d'Alene, winning all five of my A Class games (60.8% ringers), thus winning the tournament and getting another nice tournament patch. This tournament raised my NATSTATS ringer percentage to 58.58% (273/466).

On August 16, 2009 I participated in the NHPA-sanctioned Inland Empire Memorial tournament in Coeur d'Alene, winning all five of my A Class games (128 out of my 200 shoes pitched were ringers, 64%), thus winning the tournament and getting another nice tournament patch. This tournament raised my NATSTATS ringer percentage to 60.21% (401/666).

On June 26, 2010 I pitched in the "Elmer Currie Classic" hosted by the Kootenai Horseshoe Club in Cd'A. In this NHPA-sanctioned tournament I pitched in Class A and won the Class and was named tournament champion. My ringer percentage for that tourney was 61.33% (184/300 shoes). There were seven of us in Class A, six men and me; I won 5 and lost 1 game.

On August 15, 2010 I took part in in Class A in the NHPA-sanctioned Inland Empire Memorial tourney in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I pitched 113 ringers (113/200 = 56.5%), but couldn't win the last game, so I came in second.

The 2011 season began with the May 21, 2011 NHPA-sanctioned North Idaho Jamboree tournament in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I had finished 2010 with a 59% ringer percentage, and that average carried into 2011. But I had barely practiced before entering this tournament, so I finished third in Class A (ringer pct of 48.40, sigh...practice, practice, practice...).

On June 25, 2011 I played in the NHPA-sanctioned Elmer Currie Classic tournament in Coeur d'Alene, winning Class A (142 out of my 250 shoes pitched were ringers, 56.8%), thus winning the tournament and getting another nice tournament patch.

On August 14, 2011 I pitched in the NHPA-sanctioned Inland Empire Memorial tournament in Coeur d'Alene, winning Class A (6 wins, 0 losses, 177 out of my 300 shoes pitched were ringers, 59.0%), thus winning the tournament and getting another nice tournament patch.

The 2011 Idaho state (ISHPA) singles tournament was held in Coeur d'Alene. What an opportunity to meet top horseshoe pitchers from around Idaho. I was placed in Women's Class A with three other women. Our class pitched with the four men in Elder's Class A to give us more games, though only play against those in our class counted towards the class championship. We each played one another both days, seven games on Sat and seven games on Sun.
I went 6-0 in Women's Class A to become the ISHPA 2011 Women's Champion. In games against the men, I went 6-2, losing once to the top seed and once to the second seed.
What an opportunity to pitch with the best in the state!

On June 23, 2012 I pitched in the NHPA-sanctioned Elmer Currie Classic tournament in Coeur d'Alene, winning Class A (averaged 60.8% ringers, a personal best of 74% ringers in one game), thus winning the tournament and getting another nice tournament patch.

On August 11, 2012 I played in the NHPA-sanctioned Inland Empire Memorial tournament in Coeur d'Alene, winning Class A (6 wins, 0 losses, 187 out of my 300 shoes pitched were ringers, 62.3%, and matching my highest game ringer pct of 74%), thus winning the tournament and getting another nice tournament patch.

In 2013, I competed in two NHPA-sanctioned tournaments. On June 22, 2013 I competed in the Elmer Currie Classic tournament in Coeur d'Alene, coming in second in Class A (averaging 64.67% ringers, with one game at 72% ringers). Starting with the highest ringer pct at 62.90%, I gave up handicap points ranging between 27 - 38 (80% hdcp for a 50-shoe game). I lost one game by one point, so I finished second.

On August 10, 2013 I competed in the NHPA-sanctioned Inland Empire Memorial tournament in Coeur d'Alene, coming in first in Class A. Starting with the highest ringer pct at 63.00%, I gave up handicap points to my opponents (80% hdcp for a 50-shoe game). I went 5-1, so I finished first as the tournament champion, bringing home a nice tournament patch.

The 2014 season began for me with the May 17 North Idaho Jamboree held at Winton Park in Coeur d'Alene. With a ringer percent of 60.66% I had to give up handicap points in Class A. I began with games of 76 and 74%, but then dropped. My last game determined the Class A winner (aka tournament champion), but I pitched below my average, giving up 22 hdcp points, and lost by two points, so I came in second. But my ringer pct for the day was 63.33, so my average will go up a bit.

The June 21 Elmer Currie Classic tournament was not a good one for me. Entering Class A with the highest ringer pct of 61.55, I pitched below my average (50%) and with giving up handicap points between 17 and 32, I lost four games and won one. W/o the hdcp, the losses would have been wins, but that's the lot of a ringer pct that does not have a lot of room to pitch above average. Guess I'd better hit the practice courts and work on keeping my ringers nearer my average.

Unhappy with my pitching in the two 2014 Cd'A tournaments, I was determined to adjust my arm swing to increase my ringer percentage. To that end, I purchased two pair of the "Grabit Lite" (2 lb. 4 oz) shoes. With their odd design, I was forced to get my arm pendulum swing in alignment. And with the lighter shoes, I moved back to a foul line at 32 feet instead of 27 feet. Practicing at the increased distance and with the unusual shoes, my ringers returned.

I won the August 9 Inland Memorial Tournament in Cd'A with a ringer percent of 61.55, though I had to give handicap points. The work with the Grabit shoes paid off.

Then on August 23-24 I pitched in the Idaho State Singles Tournament with a ringer percent of 56.54, but w/o having to hand over hdcp points. I now am a two-time state women's singles champion.

In 2015 I pitched in the June 20 Elmer Currie Classic in Coeur d'Alene, winning Class A (and the tournament) going 5-0 with a ringer percentage of 54.5.

I also pitched in the August 15 Inland Empire Memorial tournament in Cd'A, finishing second in Class A, 4-1 with a ringer pct of 57.5.

The 2016 tournaments began with the May 14 North Idaho Jamboree in Cd'A. I won Class A (and the tournament) with a record of 5-0 and ringer pct of 59.0 (and a high game of 70%). (Pitchers did not play w/a handicap in Class A.

On June 18, 2016 I pitched in the Elmer Currie Classic tournament in Cd'A. I went 5-0 in Class A pitching 57.6% to win the tournament. (Class A pitchers were assigned handicapped points; as top seed, I had no hdcp points.)

I competed on August 20, 2016 in the Inland Empire Memorial tournament held at Winton Park in Cd'A, winning Class A with a ringer percent of 52.5%, thus winning the tournament (not handicapped). This summer I won all three Cd'A tournaments, the first person to win all three in one year, completing the Coeur d'Alene "Triple Crown," if you will.

2017 started with the North Idaho Jamboree (no hdcp, 40 shoe games) in Coeur d'Alene on a chilly May 13. No one seemed to pitch well in the cold and wind; my 45% ringers was 11% below my leftover ringer pct from last year. But I managed to pitch 60% in the playoff game to take home the championship patch. I followed up the May tournament with the Elmer Currie Classic in Cd'A on June 17 winning the tournament with a ringer pct of 49.6 and W/L of 6-0. My five wins in a row came to a halt at the August 19 Inland Empire Memorial in Cd'A placing second in Class A (W/L 3-1) at 53.5%. But I finished the season with my third women's state championship held in Cd'A on August 26-27, W/L of 7-1, and pct of 50.0.

In 2018 I pitched in four tournaments. The two courts in Moscow's East City Park were upgraded in October of 2017 such that in June of 2018 the Idaho Regional Director, Pep Plummer, inspected them and now the courts are "sanctioned" such that we can host "official" NHPA/ISHPA tournaments there. Our "Moscow Inaugural" tournament was held on June 9 in the pouring rain; I pitch poorly in the wet cold, so I finished second. I won the next two Moscow tournaments: The July 14 "Hog Heaven Challenge" (48.5%) and the August 18 "Palouse Open" (51.66%). I pitched in the Cd'A "Inland Empire Memorial" tournament on August 25 and finished at the top of Class A with a ringer pct of 51.0.

The four tournaments I competed in in 2019 each brought an increase in my ringer percent. I came in second in the June Moscow Classic with a ringer percent of 39.5%. I tied for first in the July Hog Heaven Challenge in Moscow with 48.5%. I finished first in the Palouse Open held in Moscow in August with 53.33%. I ended the season with a terrific tournament winning the Inland Empire Memorial held in August at Coeur d;Alene with an overall ringer pct of 59%, including a fantastic last game of 68%, which means 34 of 50 shoes were ringers and I pitched at least 17 ringers (8 doubles+) in a row. A nice note on which to end my season.

In January of 2020 I started the year ranked #66 among the top 100 women in the country. I pitched in four small tournaments, winning three, such that my ringer average moved up to 56.66% after my third tournament, putting me at #47 in the country. The four tournaments I pitched in were the Moscow Special (53%), Hog Heaven Challenge (50%), the Moscow Senior Special (57%), and Palouse Open (36.88%). But I ended the year with a ringer average of 53.33%, placing me at #62 in the country.

In 2021 I stopped pitching because of arthritis in my knees. I continue to be a Tournament Director for three sanctioned tournaments a year in Moscow as well as run pitching clinics, formally and informally. I miss pitching, but am proud that from August of 2008 to early July of 2021 I was continuously listed among the Top 100 Women Pitchers in the country. My records show I never fell out of the top 100; my highest ranking was at #27 in 2013 with a ringer percentage of 64.66. My last ranking was in early July of 2021 at #58 and 53.33%.

Moscow Parks and Rec Summer Horseshoe League:

In the summer of 2004, the Moscow Parks and Recreation Department began holding horseshoe pitching activities. That first year included both singles and doubles league play, and I was lucky enough to win the singles league and, with my doubles partner Lon Pedersen, the doubles league.

Starting in 2005, the summer league dropped singles play and only had a doubles league. From 2005 through 2011 my doubles partner Lon and I (our team name now is "Flip and Flop") won the doubles league.