NEWSLINE STORY

published May-June 2015

 

Making the Connection: Horseshoe and the Sport of Jukskei

by Casey Sluys, President, National Horseshoe Pitchers Foundation

 

With the first ever South African Horseshoe Tournament having been played on April 3 (story at right), it’s the perfect time to shed some light on the relationship between jukskei, a 270-year-old sport, and horseshoe.

 

My initial contact with jukskei and South Africa (SA) began in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the 2010 World Tournament. The SA contingent was there to showcase jukskei and point out its similarities to horseshoe pitching. Realizing that their Afrikaans language and the Dutch language are similar piqued my interest. Listening carefully, I found I could still understand some of their words, as I was born in Holland and immigrated to the U.S. when I was eight.  My grandson Travis took a keen interest in jukskei and became quite good at it quickly.

 

A plan was devised for alternate visits to each others’ countries along with a grandiose plan to combine the two sports under one umbrella called “precision throwing sports.” In 2011, a group of horseshoe pitchers traveled to SA to compete in their Jukskei Championships. From there, the plan was put in motion.

 

The name agreed upon was Precision Throwing Sports and we applied for membership in The Association For International Sports for All (TAFISA). This organization exists as one showcasing indigenous sports to any and all countries that want to become involved. In 2011, Dr. Gerrie Jacobs put together an extensive paper with the argument that “Precision Throwing Sports” should be included in TAFISA’s repertoire of sports and submitted the same for inclusion.

 

We came together under the umbrella of the International Jukskei Federation, which included horseshoe pitching, and originally intended to include petanque and bocce, but those sports sought different avenues of participation. In fact, petanque was showcased by itself. We travelled to Lithuania in 2012 to showcase horseshoe pitching and jukskei for TAFISA.  Jukskei was represented by South Africa and Namibia and horseshoes was represented by the three of us from the U.S., Gary Roberts, Travis Sluys and me. Due to conditions that were less than acceptable, this venture proved trying as all of us just had one day, out of eleven, to showcase “Precision Throwing Sports.” Regardless, we were able to put horseshoes in the hands of almost 20 of the 65 countries that participated with TAFISA.

 

The involvement with SA, Namibia and horseshoe pitching flourished though, and as a result of combined efforts by a few dedicated horseshoe pitchers and some willing participants in those countries, SA held their very first horseshoe tournament in early April. Fifty participants pitched horseshoes under a singles format and HSMaster was used as a statistics program. Everyone was placed in groups according to age, experience and/or gender. The folks I’ve chatted with via the web say it was baai gezellig “very pleasant” and all who pitched shoes had fun.

 

We sincerely hope to continue this partnership with the International Jukskei Federation (IJF) and horseshoe pitching and wish SA and Namibia great success in future horseshoe pitching events. Last December the junior contingent of the IJF pitched horseshoes also.

 

Plans are underway to demonstrate horseshoe pitching and participate in their Jukskei Championships in 2016 and perhaps hold an international championship in horseshoes. We would like to encourage anyone wishing to take a trip of a lifetime and to participate in both jukskei and horseshoes in South Africa in 2016 to contact Gary Roberts or myself. Time frame would be last week in March and first week in April. One week for sightseeing and one for jukskei.

 

South Africa is slightly smaller than twice the size of Texas, making it the 25th largest country in the world.

 

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