Havre hosts pitchers at state horseshoe tournament

Montana Horseshoe Pitchers' Association held its state championship at Tip-It Bar in Havre this past weekend, producing multiple champions for Havre with the event also raising money for fire relief in the area.

Montana Horseshoe Pitchers' Association Vice President Dave Rowin - who won a world championship horseshoe competition this year - said 60 throwers competed over the weekend at the state horseshoe tournament held at Tip-It Bar in North Havre.

Competitors throw 40 horseshoes with a scorekeeper keeping track of points and once all 40 horseshoes have been thrown, the highest score wins.

The scorekeeper monitors live ringers, valued at three points, close points, valued at one, and also dead ringers which Rowin said count toward a thrower's average but not the score.

Rowin said roughly 100 people attended, noting relatives would come with the competitors and said there is amazing camaraderie between horseshoe players.

Rowin added that the event typically has about 80 competitors, but after factoring in COVID-19 and having some players called away to fight fires in the area, having 60 was great.

He said the tournament also raised $216 for the Little Rockies Pine Grove Fire relief fund through a 50/50 raffle.

"Seems like all the horseshoe tournaments raise money for a good cause of their choice, it seemed appropriate because of the fires going on and we have local people playing from that area," Rowin said this morning.

He said the competition resulted in a tie for first place in both the men's and women's divisions, saying there were three ties in Women's Class B.

"So it was a close competition for everybody and then to come down to within a point sometimes of a win or a loss. It was just excellent shooting. The weather was perfect. Just couldn't have gone any better," Rowin said Sunday.

Rowin said competitors are broken up into various classes with six to seven competitors in a class. He added that the men's division ranged from Class A to Class E and the women's division had Classes A through C with a group of four youth and four elders also throwing.

He said the host city of the state tournament rotates every year and next year it will be held in Anaconda then Great Falls before the tournament again returns to Havre.

Rowin expressed gratitude for his wife, Dee Rowin and Tip-It's co-owner John Roberts, who he said both helped to keep things rolling and the Havre Eagles Club auxiliary provided lunch, leading to a smooth event benefiting the community.

"You got probably 40 people coming in from out of town that are moteling it, restaurants. Someone to the trap shoot. ... So I guess it does bring money into the community," Rowin said.

He said his own performance during the tournament could have gone better but the 68-year-old is contending with back and hip trouble.

Rowin said he is a three-time world champion, first winning in Idaho in 2004, then again in California about four years later, followed by another win in Nevada this year.

"I had back surgery last January. So I had my back fused and my hips are killing me. So I barely made it through the tournament this time. I kind of used all my energy for (the world championship) I guess, when I was there and won that, so I was pretty pleased with world and I didn't really care how I did today," Rowin said Sunday. "I was a hurting unit. My hip is bothering me from having surgery. (The state tournament) was a fight for me, but I did it because I love the sport," he added.

He said his favorite part of the world championship was interacting with fellow players, saying they were all good people and he's never met a bad horseshoe player.

He said, at the world championship, play is indoors and climate-controlled with air conditioning and the playing surface is padded instead of concrete, which makes it easier on players' bodies.

"And you're shooting into a portable pit, which is full of clay. Ours down here are sand or dirt or whatever people do in Montana to have a horseshoe pit," Rowin said. "Wherever your shoe hits, it just sticks in the clay. You don't get no lucky bounces or no sliders or flops or whatever, it's all pretty much talent when you're there."

He said, at age 70, competitors can move up from throwing at a distance of 40 feet to 30 feet, which he is contemplating due to his back condition, but he doesn't want to, saying he is pretty bullheaded.

Now that the state event has come and gone, Rowin encouraged people to sign up for horseshoe league play at Tip-It Bar every Thursday, which has just ended for the year but typically starts the third week in May.

Rowin said league play starts at 6 p.m. Thursdays and play usually lasts five games a night. Players throw 21 shoes instead of 40. People interested in playing can visit Tip-It Bar to sign up in May.

Rowin said since league play has ended, there will be an end of year potluck picnic at Tip-It Bar Saturday, Aug. 28. He said sign-up for a luck of the draw tournament is at noon with play starting at 1 p.m. and there is generally a barbecue after that. Each player pitches in $5.