Comments From First Vice President & Regional Director

The State Tournament had a very exciting ending on Saturday afternoon with a three person playoff in both the Women’s and Elder’s Championship. Congratulations to Dell Woollard the Women’s State Champion for the 2^nd time, Wayne Cowger the Elder’s State Champion for the 3^rd time at the young age of 86 years old, Hayden Cohen the Junior Boys State Champion, and Donna Coons the Junior Girls State Champion for the 3^rd time. Thanks to all of you that participated in the State Championship Tournament and congratulations to all the State Class Champions. It was great to see everyone again at the State Tournament and meet some of the new members in the state association. I had a great time and was real happy to win the Men’s State Championship for the 9^th time.

Congratulations to Robert Zumbahlen (Zoomer) on earning the Player Of The Year award, Ralph Cantrell, Charlie Thornsburg, Don Burrows Sr., Debbie Burrows, and Robert Zumbahlen on being inducted into the FSHPA Hall of Fame, and to all of the other special award winners.

I want to thank the members of the Brevard County Horseshoe Club for all of their hard work to make the State Championship tournament a success. I know the club members spent several hours working on the courts to make sure they met all of the requirements. The horseshoe courts were in great condition and the BCHC courts in Wickham Park received the first new “Full Court Sanction Certificate”.

Thanks also to Lou Robison of Beverly Hills Horseshoe Club for working on the computer every day of the tournament to post the game by game results. Last but not least the women that work many hours buying, preparing, and serving the food at the tournament and cocktail parties deserve special thanks for all their work and the excellent job they do. The ladies contribute greatly to the success of the tournament and quite frankly I don’t know what we would do without them.

I would like to report that Zoomer and I made the trip to Sebring, FL to meet Irve Swihart and re-check their 18 horseshoe courts. Irve Swihart and some members of the Highlands County Horseshoe Club put in several hours of work, moving stakes, painting foul lines, etc., prior to our visit to ensure that all of their horseshoe courts met the court sanctioning requirements and specifications for a “Conditional Court Sanction Certificate”. The fence enclosing the courts is closer than 8 feet behind the stakes or they would have received a “Full Court Sanction Certificate”. I want to thank Irve Swihart and the other club members who helped to get the horseshoe courts at Sebring in excellent playing condition for sanctioned tournaments.

Have a great summer and I look forward to seeing you all next season. I hope to see some of you at the World Tournament this year, Good Luck and Good Pitching.

Ron Deckard