Although entries were down overall in the Bentley Horseshoe Club’s annual fair tournament, it was still two long days for club members, volunteer helpers, and competitors.
There were 76 official singles games played with 6,948 shoes thrown in regulation play, not counting practices and warm-ups, with 2,003 of those shoes being ringers.
There were more than 30 people entered in six classes of singles play on Saturday and nine teams entered in two classes of doubles play on Sunday (up from last year).
Top winners were:
Men’s A - Bruce Grandel from Calgary, 2nd Ray Madu from Leduc, 3rd Scotty Miller from Calgary.
Ladies A - Hazel Heistad from Lacombe, 2nd Winnona Kilbourn from Red Deer, 3rd Cindy Ekkel from Wetaskiwin.
Elders A - Don Courville from Cochrane, 2nd Roger Laforce from Mirror, 3rd Charley Whatley from Innisfail.
Mixed A - Myrna Kissick from Innisfail, 2nd Steve Moody from Wetaskiwin, 3rd Theresa Laforce from Mirror.
Mixed B - Noel Peterson from Ponoka, 2nd David Kilbourn from Red Deer, 3rd Ben Fecho from Ponoka.
These three had to play off as they had ended in a three-way tie for first.
Mixed C - After a tie-breaker playoff for first it was 1st Dave Hynne from Edmonton, 2nd Marion Wilson from Calgary, 3rd Linda Sparks from Calgary.
A potluck supper followed the prize presentations that were done at the end of play by club president Paul Norvila and club treasurer Hazel Heistad.
On Sunday the weather was not as great for competition.
It actually became too hot and sunny as Doubles play progressed and some players suffered with the heat. One group even opted out of playing a first-place tie-breaker because of it.
A doubles winners were Steve Moody from Wetaskiwin and Dave Koch from Calgary, 2nd was Ivan Crerar from Calgary and Cindy Ekkel from Wetaskiwin.
B doubles winners, who were tied and because of the heat one team didn’t feel up to playing off, were Hazel Heistad from Lacombe and Cliff Miller from Red Deer, and Don Courville from Cochrane and Marion Wilson from Calgary. They split the prize money equally but Courville/Wilson forfeited first place and the prize rosette ribbons.
The 2013 recipient of the Allan Boettger Memorial VIP Award, started in 2011, was Dave Hynne.
The 50/50 draw winner was Eileen Stevenson from Calahoo.
The concession was most ably handled by Pearl Boettger with volunteer help.
Behind the scenes David and Winnona Kilbourn and others volunteered, as well as played.
Generous sponsors this year included the Bentley Ag Society, Greg and Sandy Beavis, Bentley Servus Credit Union, Shir-Al Welding Ltd., Teamworks Fabricating Ltd., Crop Production Services (Bentley), Bentley IDA Pharmacy, Bentley Chiropractic Health Centre, and D and M Concrete Products Ltd.
Bottled water this year was courtesy Sunny 94 FM and was much appreciated.
Because of the continuing support from generous sponsors and donors the club is able to pay out extra prize money over and above the entry fees taken in, making the Bentley tournament one of the best paying in the province on the regular Alberta Horseshoe Pitchers Association circuit.