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American Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America
OFFICIAL RULES FOR HORSESHOE PITCHING
As adopted by the American Horseshoe Pitchers' Association of America
Revised 10/29/2000

JURISDICTION

Sec. 1.1: Any new rules or rule changes are to be presented to a member of the rules committee and/or the chairperson of the rules committee for discussion. All rules pertaining to financial costs of the AHPA of America must be submitted to the Board of Directors for their approval or disapproval before being presented to the membership. Proposed changes will then be forwarded to each state secretary 30 days prior to the meeting. Each state will determine how to notify their members of the proposals. Proposed changes must receive approval by a 2/3 vote of the membership present and voting.

Sec. 1.2: Full time students receive complimentary AHPA membership cards.

Sec. 1.3: No alcoholic beverages will be permitted on or around courts by participants or officials during competition.

HORSESHOE COURTS

Sec. 2.1: Indoor pitching.- When indoor courts are constructed, the height of pitching boxes shall not be over six (6) inches above floor level. Ceiling height shall be at least twelve (12) feet.

Sec. 2.2: Layout of courts.- A court shall consist of two pitchers' boxes with a stake in the center of each and shall cover a level area overall of ten (10) feet width and fifty (50) feet in length.

Sec. 2.3: Pitchers' box.- The pitchers' box shall be six (6) feet square, with stake in the exact center. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.4: The stake area of the pitchers' box shall be filled to a depth of six (6) to ten (10) inches with potter's clay or substitute of like nature and kept in a moist and puttylike condition in the stake area. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.5: Stake Distance.- The distance shall be forty (40) feet between stakes. Measured from the pitcher's platform level, from the center of each stake. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.6: Foul lines surrounding the pitcher's box shall be clearly defined. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.7: When a number of courts are constructed as required in tournament play, the stakes shall be a minimum of ten (10) feet apart between courts and front pitching box foul lines shall preserve a straight line across the entire layout. Construction should be made to permit north - south pitching. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.8: Pitching distance for women, juniors, senior men and handicapped persons shall be a minimum 30 feet with a foul line 27 feet from the stake. When women, juniors, short distance men and handicapped persons play on a court constructed for 40 foot pitchers, foul lines shall be marked 10 feet in front of the 40 foot foul lines with an imaginary stake marked three (3) feet behind the 30 foot foul line. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.9: The pitcher's platform shall consist of an area: The maximum distance to the right or left of the stake or imaginary stake is three (3) feet. The minimum distance right or left of the stake or imaginary stake is eighteen (18) inches. The maximum distance in front of the stake or imaginary stake is three (3) feet. (See diagram)

Sec. 2.99: Court Diagram
newcourt.gif

HORSESHOE EQUIPMENT

Sec. 3.1: Stakes. - The stakes shall be of cold rolled steel, one (1) inch in diameter, and shall extend no shorter than fourteen (14) inches and no higher than fifteen (15) inches above the clay surface with a three (3) inch incline toward the opposite stake.

Sec. 3.2: Official Shoe.- A shoe shall not exceed 7 1/4 inches in width, 7 5/8 inches in length, and shall not weigh less than 2 lb. 4 oz. and not more than 2 lb. 10 oz.. On a parallel line 3/4 of an inch from a straight edge touching the points of the open end of a shoe, the opening shall not exceed 3 1/2 inches. A 1/8 inch tolerance to 3 5/8 inches is allowed on used shoes.

Sec. 3.99: SCORE BOARD DIAGRAM
scorebd.jpg

HANDICAP SCORING DEFINED

Sec. 4.1: 110 Points to be used as a base of 50 shoes, 90% of the difference between actual score and 110. Three games or 150 shoes to be used to establish handicap. EXAMPLE: A player has 240 actual points for his three games, an average of 80 actual points per game. 110 minus 80 actual, equals 30, 90% of 30 being 27 handicap 80 actual plus 27 handicap a total of 107 with handicap. Round totals when calculating averages and handicaps. EXAMPLE: If a pitchers average is between 79.50 and 79.99 round their average up (80). If the average is between 79.01 and 79.49 round their average down (79). Handicap points to be used in full, starting with first round.

HANDICAP POINTS
                AVG-HC AVG-HC AVG-HC AVG-HC AVG-HC AVG-HC AVG-HC

                 110-0  94-14  78-29  62-43  46-58  30-72        
                 109-1  93-15  77-30  61-44  45-59  29-73  14-86  
                 108-2  92-16  76-31  60-45  44-59  28-74  13-87  
                 107-3  91-17  75-32  59-46  43-60  27-75  12-88  
                 106-4  90-18  74-32  58-47  42-61  26-76  11-89  
                 105-5  89-19  73-33  57-48  41-62  25-77  10-90  
                 104-5  88-20  72-34  56-49  40-63  24-77   9-91  
                 103-6  87-21  71-35  55-50  39-64  23-78   8-92  
                 102-7  86-22  70-36  54-50  38-65  22-79   7-93  
                 101-8  85-23  69-37  53-51  37-66  21-80   6-94  
                 100-9  84-23  68-38  52-52  36-67  20-81   5-95 
                 99-10  83-24  67-39  51-53  35-68  19-82   4-95  
                 98-11  82-25  66-40  50-54  34-68  18-83   3-96  
                 97-12  81-26  65-41  49-55  33-69  17-84   2-97  
                 96-13  80-27  64-41  48-56  32-70  16-85   1-98
                 95-14  79-28  63-42  47-57  31-71  15-86
Sec. 4.2: A master sheet is made by each State Secretary or Statistician, each player's record of games pitched, actual points, average and handicaps must be recorded, and kept up-to-date.

PLAYING RULES

Sec. 5.1: Games can be played on Singles, Doubles and Team basis.

Sec. 5.2: A regulation game consists of the pitching of fifty (50) shoes in all contests.

Sec. 5.3: Choice of Pitch. - Choice of first pitch shall be determined by the toss of a coin or shoe. In successive games between the same players, the loser shall have choice.

Sec. 5.4: First pitch alternates, as it evens up advantage of pitching against iron.

Sec. 5.5: In delivering the shoe the pitcher must stand within the pitcher's platform.

Sec. 5.6: A player, when not pitching, must remain on the opposite side of the stake to the player in action and to the rear of the pitchers platform. (Refer to 2.9 and diagram)

Sec. 5.7: No contestant shall walk to the opposite stake or be informed of the position of shoes prior to the completion of an inning.

Sec. 5.8: Broken Shoes - When a shoe lands in fair territory, and is broken in separate parts, it shall be removed and the contestant allowed to pitch another shoe in its place.

Sec. 5.9: All fair shoes will be counted where they lay, even though they may have been hit by a foul or a fair shoe.

Sec. 5.10: Foul Lines. - Any shoe delivered while the pitcher's foot extends on or over the raised foul line shall be declared foul and removed from counting distance.

Sec. 5.11: In delivering a shoe, the pitcher must remain behind the foul line until the shoe has left their hand.

Sec. 5.12: A foul shoe shall not be scored or credited except in the score sheet column headed "shoes pitched".

Sec. 5.13: Foul Shoes. - A shoe pitched while the contestant stands beyond the box foul line limits. A shoe striking outside the opposite pitching box or on the hard surface area when courts are so constructed.

Sec. 5.14: Foul shoes will be removed from the pitchers box.

Sec. 5.15: A shoe must be pitched over if it hits the tent or any foreign object. (Providing it is less than 12 feet high.)

Sec. 5.16: Measurements. - Measurements to determine points scored shall be made with official device and straight edge.

Sec. 5.17: Conduct of player and members.- No contestant, while opponent is in pitching position, shall make any remark or utter any sounds within the hearing of opponent, nor make any movement that does or might interfere with the opponent's playing.
Penalty: Both shoes of the offender shall be declared foul in the inning complained of.

Sec. 5.18: Any member of the American Horseshoe Pitchers Association of America who indulges in heckling or unfair rooting against a pitcher in a tournament or league play, whether with malicious intent or otherwise, shall be expelled from grounds and from the American Association.

Sec. 5.19: Any player repeatedly violating rules or guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct may be barred from further participation in the contest. 1st offense - warning, 2nd offense - disqualified

Sec. 5.20: Winner of games, and final tournament standing governed by most total points.

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