BRISTOL — Four members of the local Sodbusters Horseshoe Pitching Club bested competitors from around the northeastern United States and South Carolina in a professional horseshoe tournament this past weekend.
Sodbusters club president Debra Brown won the Combined 30-foot Class A with a 3-0 record in the championship round in the tournament played at the Sodbusters home courts in Bristol. She scored ringers in nearly three out of every four pitches. Fellow Sodbuster Brian Simmons claimed the Combined 40-foot Class A title, going 4-0 in the final and hitting ringers on four out of five throws.
Their teammates Matt Coleman and Destinnie Wilke also won titles — the Open Mixed Class B and Junior Division, respectively.
This tournament was run with a different format than others. Pitchers got only 30 shoes and ties counted. There were 44 participants.
The tournament paid out $4,400 in total prize money. Winners in the Class A competitions won $500, a trophy going to the winner of the Junior Division.
Results from the Aug. 23-24 Green Mountain Challenge, including ringer percentage, were as follows:
Combined 30-foot Final (A)
1. Debra Brown, Vt., 74.44%.
2. Barbara Taylor, S.C., 62.22%.
Combined 40-foot Final (A)
1. Brian Simmons, Vt., 80.00%; 2. Gale Greene, Vt., 67.22%; 3. Rick Howe, 63.33%.
Combined 30-foot Final (B)
1. Ellen Perry, N.Y., 60.67%; 2. Georgia McCormick, Vt., 58.33%; 3. Neil Kennedy, Vt., 42.22%.
Combined 40-foot Final (B)
1. Dan Gonyaw, Vt., 44.17%; 2. Kevin Fisher, Vt., 43.33%; 3. Dennis Kimball, N.H., 36.67%.
Open Mixed Final (A)
1. Theresa Meshnick, 39.47%; 2. Diana Martin, Vt., 45.33%; 3. Steve Clark, Vt., 37.50%.
Open Mixed Final (B)
1. Matt Coleman, Vt., 25.33%; 2. Donna Lewis, Vt., 26.67%; 3. Dave Trayah, Vt., 20.00%.
Junior Division Final
1. Destinne Wilke, Vt., 26.67%.