‘An amazing facility’: Calgary Horseshoe Club making pitch for more members

Horseshoes might bring to mind a game for camping or the backyard, but there is an indoor facility here in Calgary.

The Calgary Horseshoe Club is one of the best-kept secrets in the city.

An indoor facility located at 4310 78th Ave. S.E., the Calgary Horseshoe Club is home to 51 members, and Don Wilby, the club’s president, says he’d like to see that number grow.

“The No. 1 hurdle for the club is getting the word out there that you can pitch horseshoes in the middle of winter in Calgary,” he said.

“It’s an amazing facility, and our members are very proud of it.”

Getting youngsters involved

When you think of horseshoes, older people tossing the shoes probably comes to mind.

But some youngsters are starting to catch on to the game.

Fourteen-year-old Liam Lammert competes in the junior division and says his grandpa got him into the sport.

“My grandpa was playing in it, and I was just wondering, ‘You play horseshoes? I thought that was only something for camping,’” he said.

“He was like, ‘There’s this cool place where we can play horseshoes in Calgary, and it’s pretty nice because you can pitch horseshoes and you can rent the place out to many people.”

Eight-year-old Everly Mandel and her five-year-old sister Ellie compete in the peewee division.

Everly says it was their dad who pitched the idea of trying out the sport.

“It was something that our dad used to do when he was little, and we’re a family that likes to try new things all the time,” she said.

“It sounded fun, and it turns out it is.”

That’s music to the Wilby’s ears.

He wants people to know that it’s a fun game for all ages.

“The dream for the club is to somehow get the word out that it’s not just for older people,” he said.

“We’ve got a few young people as well that have shown an awful lot of interest and hopefully will be the future of the club.”

This weekend, the Calgary Horseshoe Club is hosting members from all over Canada and the United States in a big tournament.