Horse shoe wins for Inishowen throwers on English soil

Members of the Inishowen Horse Shoe Club travelled to Leeds in England for an international tournament back in May, with local men performing well in singles, doubles and team competitions.

Colin Raymond and Michael McLaughlin were runners up in the international open pairs competition, Peter McGonigle and Martin Doherty were runners up in the Division 1 pairs and Peter McLaughlin was runner up in the Division 1 singles.

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The tournament was held at the Irish Centre in Leeds, and the next big international competition will be hosted by the Inishowen club in Carndonagh next summer.

The local horse shoe club are practising twice a week, on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, at the Moss Road in Carndonagh, at the home of the Inishowen Rugby Club, ahead of the All-Ireland horse shoe pitching championships which will take place over three days from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August.

Upwards of 100 competitors are expected to travel from across the country to take part in singles, doubles and team competitions over the three days.

In the meantime, anyone curious about the sport of horse shoe throwing, once a popular rural pastime but now more of a niche pursuit, is welcome to come along and try their hand at the Moss Road on Wednesday evenings, or at 11.30am on Sunday mornings.