There is a serious horseshoe competition at the Iowa State Fair every year. This year’s was featured in a newscast. So what did that trigger?
Hmm, did I remember something about horseshoes in the family letters I transcribed decades ago, ones Clabe and Leora Wilson wrote to their “Navy boys” starting in early 1934?
Yes, Leora wrote son Donald Wilson, who was stationed at Norfolk, VA, Apr. 10, 1934: “. . . Clarence came Sat. PM. He and Merl, Perry and Dad played 9 or 10 games of horseshoes Sun. – 21 point game. Pretty even match, I guess. . . “
Clarence, Merl, and Perry were Leora’s brothers. She called Clabe “Dad.”
This photo shows Laura Goff (widowed in 1930) with four of her sons, probably the weekend of the horseshoe game: J.B. (Jennings) Goff was a widower with two children (Maxine and Merrill) who lived with Laura in Dexter.
Perry Goff (suspenders) must have been visiting since he lived on the East Coast. (He would show his nephews around New York City in September of 1934, then their ship was in port.)
Merl Goff, bachelor who was a year younger than Leora) also lived with his mother. He and J.B. bought a gravel truck, with their mother’s house for collateral.
Clarence Goff is the prosperous man at the right. This youngest brother was allowed to go to high school, was valedictorian of 1923 Guthrie Center High School, and during the Depression ran a cooling and heating company in Omaha. He was a godsend to the family, especially when the brothers could no longer make payments on the gravel truck and their mother lost the house in 1935. (They moved to Omaha, where he found a house for them all, including Maxine and Merrill, and provided jobs.)
Rabbit trails are so satisfying. I was able to date this old photo because of news about the horseshoes competition at the Iowa State Fair this year, and Leora’s comment in a letter.
Have you ever tried pitching horseshoes? It seems like I may have tried it, but I guess it wasn’t my sport.
Horseshoe Pitching
So I guess this wasn’t just an old-timey pasttime. This is serious business, with a National Horseshow Pitchers Association. Their website. They even have a Facebook Page.
There are rules.
Here’s a video of horseshoe pitching at the Iowa State Fair of 2024.
I have pitches horseshoes and would make the attempt if available. But I’m nowhere near tournament capability.
I guess it takes practice, but more fun if there are buddies to practice with, huh.
I remember these Goff brothers! Yes, I’ve pitched horseshoes. (I wasn’t very good at it.)
Liz, I guess we just need practice!
Yes!
Loved horseshoe pitching. Reminds me so much of summer in Michigan
When you were a kid? Did you play by the rules?
My granddaughter is amazing at horseshoes. Every time I turn my back, she gets a ringer-sometimes two! 🤣🧲🧲
Wow, she’s been practicing!
Yes, practicing being sneaky! 😅
We were traveling recently and saw a bunch of tailgaters playing cornhole. It hit me that it’s the modern version of horseshoes. I’m horrible at both, but, for my money, horseshoes is the better game.
I think you’re right! I guess they ran out of horseshoes? ha
I watched part of the video and it was really interesting about the different type of points and also the different type of shoes. Like the picnic shoes don’t seem as good as the professional ones. And to answer your question yes we grew up tossing horseshoes. Sometimes we had the plastic ones but I do remember having heavier ones as well. And it seems like it was just always around
Thank you, Yvette. Plastic ones, huh.
Yeah – I think they were children’s horseshoe sets and I recall red and blue ones – I also remember bocce ball
Also I think it was really cool that you were able to date the photo w/ news about the horseshoes competition and the comment in the letter.
I’d included it in the 1930s, but because two of the brothers didn’t live in Dexter, Leora’s note to a son clinched it for me. Leora evidently didn’t send the photo to the Navy boys because she was so good to label everything she mailed them. Thank you, Yvette.
😊
Hi Joy, a most interesting post and photographs. Happy Friday.
Thanks, Robbie!
It’s good to learn more about your family, Joy. 😍 I have pitched horseshoes and thought it was fun. It was with relatives, as a game.
Thanks, Tim!
My pleasure, Joy. 😍
The Guthrie County Fairgrounds/Park had a couple horseshoe pits. We wandered down there several times over the years growing up. Grandpa Charlie Scar entered the contest at the Iowa State Fair a few times. There was a row of maybe 18-20 pits on the west side near the barns.
What fun! Thanks, Bob! (Favorite Guy is recovering from this morning’s hernia surgery. . . )
I have played at times, but it’s been decades (three, to be exact).
Thank you, Eilene. I just learned that my hometown will be having horseshoe games at Dexterfest next weekend.
I just love the old photographs you share! And I love how you are able to piece all the memories together. It is an art and you are so very talented!!!
Thanks so much, Linda. I’m having fun!
Love every bit of this, Joy! I remember being really little, on a horse farm with my dad in Ohio and my job – before some big “team building-ish” event he was hosting – was to find all the poop in the pasture so the grown-ups could play horseshoes. I’d forgotten about it entirely! Thanks for always giving me the sweetest nudges. 💝💝💝
Horse-chip tossing (instead of their shoes)? There’s also “cow-chip tossing” at the Iowa State Fair! I’d forgotten about that–thanks for the nudge.
You are such an inspiration source — thanks for always nudging something memorable, dear friend! Say hi to Guy for me, please! 💝😊💝
Bless you, Vicki. Favorite Guy is recovering from yesterday’s hernia surgery–icing and watching American Pickers on TV.
I’ve been behind in reading and catching up with you here and other places, too. Couldn’t remember for sure if yesterday was his surgery day. I can’t think of anything more fun to watch than American Pickers…sending love to both of you! 💝💝💝
Even harder than horseshoes is quoits, a game very similar to horseshoes but using a metal ring. Much harder to get a ringer!
Thanks, Dennis. I’ve heard of quoits but need to look it up.