The pitches were hot and the ringers were many in the annual Cochrane Open Horseshoe Tournament, July 8-9.

The sanctioned tournament of the Alberta Horseshoe Pitchers Association (AHPA) continues to attract pitchers from across the province. While numbers have dropped in recent years in many tournaments, Cochrane organizers are content with attracting a solid field of competitors.

"They came from as far away as Lethbridge and High Prairie and pretty much everywhere in between," says Jane Cordingley, one of the organizers.

It's been 30 years since the Cochrane Horseshoe Club held its first league tournament in 1987, followed by their first AHPA-sanctioned tournament a few years later. Cordingley was there for the first one and most of the ones that followed. If it wasn't for competing in the worlds she likely wouldn't have missed any.

The daughter of long-time Cochrane residents Henry and Yvonne Veldhuis, Cordingley is one of the best horseshoe pitchers in the province and has won 12 provincial championships, including a nine-year streak that only ending this year because she was unable to compete due to nerve damage in her shoulder. She is a two-time Canadian championship and three time runner-up.

Her greatest nemesis is Sylvianne Moisan of L’Epiphanie, QC, who had a 76.11 ringer pecentage at last year's national. But Cordingley did have the thrill of beating her for the first time in a few match-ups last year.

"I was actually using the shoes of our previous Alberta and Canadian champion at the time. So it was kind of sweet."

What attracts the Airdrie resident to the sport may be an appeal shared by other horseshoers.

"For myself it's a lot about the social atmosphere that comes along with it," she says. "It's a really good bunch of people and it's like a second family."

The Cochrane tournament saw a total of 22 entries in the morning and afternoon mixed singles events, July 8. A second mixed singles tournament was held the following day and typically had fewer competitors. Participants were broken into classes, ranging from 60 to 20 per cent ringers. All entry fees are returns in cash prizes and the local club tops up the prize money.

The Cochrane Horseshoe Club continues to hold league play on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. There's also fun play on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. The annual membership fee is a mere $5 plus $1 per evening played. The immaculate pitches are located on the north end of the Lions Rodeo Park.

Winners of Saturday's tournament were: 'A' event, Lyle Olmstead who also had the best ringer percentage of the weekend with 60.15 per cent; 'B' event, Scotty Miller; 'C' event, Stuart Little; and 'D' event, Louis Brousseau. Winning Sunday were: 'A' event, Matt Coninx; 'B' event, Ray Prevost; and 'C' event, Clarence Sanderman.