What is SHOP?

Submitted by Karen Graham

Sanctioned Horseshoe Online Pitching is a Facebook Group where sanctioned members participate in sanctioned tournaments.

How does it work?

• Make sure the Facebook App is installed on your phone and that you are logged into the app.
• Set up your phone at the end you are throwing to (you will only throw to that end) and “go live” on the SHOP Facebook group page. Once you have set-up your phone and gone live, go back to the other end of the court.
• You will throw four (4) shoes per inning to simulate pitching against another player.
• After throwing all 4 shoes, walk to the other end of the court, count your score, (use hand signals to indicate your score for admin verification) and then record your score on your score sheet.
• Pick up your shoes, walk back to the other end of the court and pitch the next inning.
• Games are 10 – 20 shoes in length.

Each game is verified by one of the group administrators (admins are Jeremy Smith, Ken Fraser and Karen Graham). Walter Ray Williams Jr. keeps the stats and Michael Brown is the tournament director and enters the stats into Eshoe.

Each month SHOP hosts 2 tournaments. One is a Single Double (partnered with someone and it is high-low). The second one is a Single Round Robin. You may play both, however if you do so it is entered into Eshoe as a single tournament. Only 1 of your last 2 SHOP events can be counted toward your last 10 ringer percentage events.

Where do you play?

You can play on any sanctioned horseshoe courts OR if your home courts are to NHPA specifications, you can have them sanctioned by following the instructions in the SHOP Rules & Code of Conduct.

Rules:

Admins must be able to see you pitching as well as at least 8″ to 10″ around the stake. NHPA rules apply: measure all close points or questionable ringers. If they are questionable to you, then they are questionable to the admins watching so bring the camera in close to the shoes to show the admins.

How do I enter?

Message Karen or Tag her on Facebook and let her know that you would like to play.

How do I pay?

Each event costs $10 to enter. Karen accepts PayPal (Friends and Family) or Venmo. There are multiple winners each month. You can only win once in each tournament. Karen then holds the winnings “on the books” and this money is used for your future fees, but any contestant can request their winnings at any time.

There is a flyer posted at the beginning of each month stating start date and end date. The end date is ALWAYS the LAST Sunday of the month. This leaves about 4 weeks to get your games completed. You may pitch as many games as you wish as long as they are completed by the end of the month. We highly recommend watching one of the videos previously posted in the Facebook group to get a better idea of how these tournaments work.

If nothing else, SHOP will get you out there practicing. We hear “I practice great” all the time!