Twelve Sooke athletes will compete in the 2021 B.C. Horseshoe Pitching provincial championships in Abbotsford on Labour Day weekend.
Steve Bishop, Barry DeVocht, Ken Bradley, John Launder, Phil Overhill, Joe Danyleyko, Buddy Dydra, Erick Wickheim, Chantal Wilson, Joy DeVocht, Elaine McMath and Gail Bishop will represent the Sooke Horseshoe Pitching Association in the two-day event.
It’s the first time Sooke has mustered a team of 12 for the championships. Two years ago, eight players qualified.
The B.C. championships are held every summer to crown a provincial horseshoe pitcher. Sooke pitchers will compete in Elders B, D, E, F; Men’s A; Men’s B; Women’s A; Women’s B and Women’s E divisions.
Sooke Horseshoe Pitching Association president Chantal Wilson said the locals had seen strong growth in the last few, jumping from 12 members in 2016 to more than 40 today.
“Amazingly, our new players want to go to tournaments,” Wilson said. “I think it’s the competitiveness that a lot of the members like.”
And while the club is expecting success at the provincial championships, two players – Ken Bradley and Elaine McMath – won their class at the Island championships held recently in Victoria.
To learn more about the Sooke Horseshoe Pitching Association, please go online to sookehorseshoes.weebly.com.
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