ST. GEORGE, Utah — Three members of Bristol’s Sodbusters Horseshoe Club — all veterans of international competition and Bristol residents — distinguished themselves with top finishes at the World Horseshoe Championships, which were held in St. George, Utah, between July 22 and Aug. 3.
Brian Simmons, a former world champion, took second in the men’s competition; Debra Brown (who was runner-up last year) finished third in the women’s competition; and defending world champion Brianna McCormick was third in the girls’ event.
Simmons compiled a 14-1 record and a ringer percentage of 80.40 in finishing second to Ohio’s Alan Francis. Simmons’ ringer percentage was second only to Francis’ 91.23.
In finishing third with a 12-3 mark, Brown threw the highest percentage of ringers among all the women’s competitors, 78.30. But she was upset in one match, and dropped a one-point decision to the winner, Pennsylvania’s Cindy Hoffman, and lost by just three points to the second-place finisher, Joan Elmore of Tennessee.
McCormick finished sixth among the girls’ finalists with a 1-4 mark while tossing ringers at a rate of 29.73 percent.
The Vermont championship tournament is set for this weekend at the Sodbusters’ home courts near the American Legion in Bristol. As of Monday there were 117 pitchers signed up for the event.