Local Horseshoe Pitching Association Enjoys National, State Recognition

Members of the Edmonson County Horseshoe Pitching Association compete in local matches.

Edmonson County Group Looking To Add Team Members As Summer League Begins

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Members from the Edmonson County Horseshoe Pitching Association were well represented last week at the World Horseshoe Championship held in Florence, South Carolina, where three locals made an impressive mark in their respective categories.

Brownsville resident Ben Webb finished 14th overall in the competition after finishing 2nd in his class. Webb is a two-time state champion in the Jr. Boys division from 2013 and 2014. He now competes in the men's division.

Local team members Ben Webb and Sarah Neagle with their latest World Championship awards.

Sixteen year-old Sarah Neagle pitches a horseshoe in a local match.

Local member Sarah Neagle, age 16, finished 5th in her class in the Jr. Girls division. She and her father are both members of the local association. Her father, John Neagle was the KHPA state champion in 2010. Sarah is a junior at Warren East High School.

Karen Meredith, also a local member, finished third in the open women's division. She is no stranger to pitching, as her husband Ronnie has had much success over the years, and her father-in-law Charlie Meredith (also a local member) has 10 state championships, which is a state record.

Ten-time state champion Charlie Meredith makes a toss.

Jimmy Adwell prepares to pitch a horseshoe as he eyes his target.

Ben Webb lets a shoe fly during some practice tosses.

The local association is reaching out to Edmonson County and surrounding residents to join their group for some good family fun.

"We're always looking for people to play," said local member Jimmy Adwell. "We play out here once per week and we'd love for these courts to be full with people."

The group plays each Thursday evening at the horseshoe courts at Chalybeate Park at 6pm as their summer season has just begun. The facility was built thanks to state grants obtained by locals N.E. Reed and A.B. Webb in 2011. The shelter is one of the premier facilities in the region and is frequently used for larger tournaments.

The group said it costs nothing to try out their league and that anyone looking to enjoy the sport can borrow the proper equipment from team members if anyone would like to test the waters of pitching horseshoes.

To find out more about the local group, click here to visit their Facebook Page.