EXERCISEºRECREATIONºSPORT


About the NHPA



National

Horseshoe

Pitchers

Association

®
representing organized
horseshoe pitching

competitive
  healthful
    economical
  lifetime family sport

pitch horseshoes
        for health and fun
THE SPORT OF
HORSESHOE PITCHING
(Why pitch organized horseshoes?)

A Family Sport
   Horseshoe pitching boasts of being one of the few sports that has a national champion for men, women, boys and girls and can still be played in one's backyard. It can be played by one or more and by the young as well as the old.

Physical Fitness
   In this day of weight-watching, what better way to exercise than walking, bending and reaching? These are integral parts of this great sport. Game-related injuries are rare, and doctors have repeatedly stressed the beneficial aspects of this sport.

Join the Millions of Participants
   It was recently estimated that upwards of fifteen (15) million enthusiasts enjoy pitching horseshoes in the United States and Canada, in tournaments, leagues, recreation areas and backyards. What sport offers so much for so little?

Sports Origin
   The origin of this sport goes back to the days of the Roman Empire. Roman soldiers pitched horseshoes discarded from the horses used to drive their chariots.
   Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War pitched horseshoes for recreation on the Boston Common. The Duke of Wellington in history said that the war was won by the pitchers of the steel (horseshoes).

An International Sport
   The sport has been introduced in South Africa, Italy, Japan, Grand Bahama Islands, Togo, West Africa, Australia, New Zealand, West Germany, Nigeria, Honduras, Canada, South America, Israel, Norway, Switzerland, Poland, Phillipine Islands, England, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
National Horseshoe Pitchers Association
   The NHPA is a federation of sixty (60) charters in the United States and Canada, each with numerous club affiliates and individual members. Each state association is self governing. Some states have more than one charter.

Purpose
   The NHPA strives to promote and organize the sport and to standardize the rules, equipment and playing procedures. The top priority is to serve as a unifying agent between state associations, local clubs, unorganized groups and individual players. The NHPA sanctions the Annual World Tournament, state association tournaments, regional and open events and a league program.

Organization
  Elected Officers: President; five (5) Vice-Presidents; Secretary-Treasurer.
  Executive Council: Elected officers.
  Regional Directors: Regional Directors serve to coordinate national and state activities under the direction of the 1st Vice-President.
  Hall of Fame Committee: It consists of fifteen (15) members who elect candidates annually. Inductions are held annually at the World Tournament.

  Publicity
NHPA publicity is carried out by a publicity worker program under the direction of the NHPA Publicity Chairman who is appointed by the NHPA President. The publicity committee is responsible for publicizing the activities of the National Association.
  Constitution and By-Laws Committee:
Under the direction of the NHPA 1st Vice-President, this committee receives, reviews and votes on Constitution and By-Law changes proposed by the NHPA membership. The changes approved by the committee are submitted for delegate vote at the NHPA Annual Convention.

  Rules Committee:
Under the direction of the NHPA 1st Vice-President, this commitee receives, reviews, and votes on rule changes proposed by the membership. Committee approved changes then go to the delegates for a vote at the NHPA Annual Convention.

The organization also has a statistician-historian, an auditor, a chaplain, grievance committee, league coordinator, and Jr. promotion director.

Activities
  The organization has an annual convention, an annual World Tournament, an annual banquet and Executive Council meetings which take place during the World Tournament. Business is conducted by the state delegates, with the President and Elected Officers presiding. Other activities include a Pitch Horseshoes for Health Month (July) and the NHPA sanctioned league program.


Publication
  NHPA Newsline:
Published bi-monthly by the NHPA.