GREENVILLE – More than 90 horseshoe pitchers from 10 states and Canada including world champions descended on Greenville, known at the Horseshoe Capitol of the World for the 63rd annual Ringer Classic horseshoe pitching tournament at Greenville’s city park.
“We battled rain and wind,” said Darke County Horseshoe President Brian Fisher . “We had a three hour delay Saturday but we got it all in. Today (Sunday) we had a severe threat of storms but it didn’t affect us today.”
The Ringer Classic is regarded as one of the world’s premier tournaments providing a warm-up for the upcoming National Horseshoe Pitchers Association World Horseshoe Pitching Championships which will be held from July 17th – July 29th in Lansing, MI.
“We had more pitchers than we’ve had in the last three or four years including some Canadian throwers,” Fisher said. “We’re bouncing back from COVID and hopefully we’ll have 100 or more next year.”
“This is well-known as probably the best horseshoe tournament outside of the world tournament,” he added. “We have the best conditions, and we get the best competition. The competition is what the people come for.”
Among the competitors was Alan Francis, a 26-time world champion pitcher. Francis won the men’s A division championship at this year’s Ringer Classic with a perfect 9-0 record. Gale Greene of Vermont placed second and Kentucky’s Tyler Howard finished third.
Rounding out the top 10 men’s A division: Ben Webb (KY) fourth, Gary Roberts (OH) fifth, Raymond Bedard (MA) sixth, Bobby Schwent (MO) seventh, Gary Opper (ID) eighth, Darryl Miller (OH) ninth and Austin Hill (OH) tenth.
Men’s B Division First Place, Mike Kuether (OH)
Men’s C Division First Place, Buddy Lampkin (KY)
Men’s D Division First Place, David Genet (IN)
Elders A Men’s Division First Place, David Holms (WV)
Elders B Men’s Division First Place, Leonard Conner (IN)
Elders C Men’s Division First Place, Brian Fisher (OH)
Elders D Men’s Division First Place, Whitey Hughes (OH)
Elders E Men’s Division First Place, Larry Fourman (OH)
30-FT Mixed First Place, Jeff Crunkilton (OH)
“Alan Francis retained his Ringer Classic title and David Holmes from West Virginia retained his Elders A Ringer Classic title,” Fisher noted.
Women’s A Division First Place, Amy Francis. Susan Way (NY) second, Donna Shoemaker (OH) third, Tracy Snell (ON) fourth, Laurie Lampkin (KY) fifth and Ruth Rife (OH) sixth.
Women’s B Division First Place, Margaret Potter (OH)
JR Boys Champion, Forrest Fourman
JR Girls Champion, Zorianna Dehart
