GAYS MILLS - Both locals and visitors could agree that the recently built sanctioned horseshoe pits in Gays Mills were mighty fine.

A lot of very talented horseshoe pitching talent from other parts of the state was on hand to participate in the first-ever state sanctioned tournament, including the defending Wisconsin Men’s Class A Champion Lonny Trangsrud from Eau Claire.

Marshfield’s Gunnar David, the seven-times junior state champion, was playing in the Class B Division of the Kickapoo Valley Open. David posted a credible 3-2 record and looks like a competitor with a future ahead of him.

Many officials of the Wisconsin Horseshoe Pitching Association (WHPA) were present for the sanctioned tournament including the association’s second vice president Kevin Brekke, who is destined to be inducted into the WHPA Hall of Fame in the near future.

Wonewoc’s Dave Volz found the new sanctioned pits very impressive. He plans to be here for Apple Fest as he does almost every year.

DeForest’s Gays Volz, a Past WHPA President also praised the new facility noting it to a lot of work to get the pits up to this level.

Richland Center’s Bun Carley was also on hand for the tournament Saturday. Carley was inducted into the WHPA Hall of Fame in 2007.

The weather co-operated fully for those attending the Kickapoo Valley Open with temperatures in the high 70s, a steady breeze and low humidity. There were a lot of smiling faces amid the clanking of horseshoes at the Kickapoo Ringers’ new pits last Saturday.

One of those with biggest smiles was Seneca’s Russ Brockway, a WHPA member and driving force behind the Kickapoo Ringers and the sanctioned horseshoe pits. Brockway competed in the Class C Division and threw 33.60 percent ringers.

Tournament results

Kickapoo Valley Open   Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Class A

  1. Linda  5  1      56.43

  2. Mike Cone  4   2      55.71

  3. Leo Richter 3    2      61.60

  4. Bernard Carley 3   2    53.20

  5. Lonny Trangsrud 1  4  33.20

  6. John Brophy 0   5      45.20

Class B   

  1. Dave Schorbahn 4   1  42.80

  2. David Stakston  4   1  37.20

  3. Gunnar David  3   2   38.40

  4. Dustin Dahl  3    2   33.60

  5. Rich Brockway 1   4  31.60

  6. Al Holloway  0   0   0.00

Class C   

  1. Mona Lane  4    1        40.00

  2. James Wicklander 3.5 1.5 36.40

  3. Heather Sowatzke  3   2 34.00

  4. Butch Kohnen  2  3  39.60

  5. David Volz  2     3    33.20

  6. Russ Brockway 0.5  4.5  33.60

Class D

  1. Rondi Mengelt  4   1 29.20

  2. Truman Espelien  3   2  32.4

  3. Gary Volz  2    3     30.00

  4. Kari David  2   3    25.20

  5. Ray Cayer  2     3    23.20

  6. Fred Lane   2    3    18.80

Class E   

  1. Jedidiah Sowatzke  5   0 27.20

  2. Kevin Aarstad  3   2    26.80

  3. Craig David   3   2   21.20

  4. Bj Marty  2    3    18.00

  5. Mitchell Uttech  2   3   17.20

  6. Barb Ramquist  0  5   13.60