The Wyoming State Horseshoe Pitching Tournament hosted by Lovell over the weekend was a huge success, organizer Pat Bacus said, with pitchers and their family members from all over the state enjoying the facilities and the community.


The only drawback was the lack of restaurant table space in town, Bacus noted, with a couple of Labor Day weekend closures taking place. But Bacus said other arrangements were made for the big weekend.


Some 41 pitchers and their families converged on the Rose City Courts at Constitution Park over the weekend.


“Everyone from all around the state really enjoyed the facilities,” Bacus said. “Thanks to all the pitchers from Lovell, the town people and all who worked on these courts to make them a great success. Since we started this project it is a three-year dream fulfilled.”


Lillian and Rich Hettinger furnished sloppy joes for lunch on Saturday, and on Saturday night they prepared a barbecue rib dinner with all the trimmings, Bacus said.


“It was absolutely delicious,” he said. “Hats off and thank you. There was enough left for Sunday lunch.


“The only drawback all weekend was the lack of a restaurant for breakfast, but the Cowtown was open for breakfast both Saturday and Sunday, so thank you, Ray Black, for being open. That really helped us out.”


Bacus also said he would like to thank the Maneline Hair Salon for donating cookies, Big Horn Federal for furnishing rolls each day, First National Bank and Trust for putting the tournament on their electronic sign, the Lovell Volunteer Fire Dept. for the use of the fire hall for the state meeting Friday night plus the use of the ice and cooler, and special thanks to “Susie, Thelma and Janis” of the Town of Lovell parks crew for their hard work and cooperation.


“You three ladies do a lot of hard work to make our parks and gardens beautiful, and you had many compliments on your rose gardens,” Bacus said. “Thank you.”


He said he would also like to thank Pepsi-Cola for donating the Pepsi trailer for the weekend. The trailer was staffed by Brian and Linnea Dickson, and all proceeds from sales of soda pop were given by the local horseshoe pitching association to the Lovell High School choir program.


Here are the results of the Wyoming State Horseshoe Pitching Tournament held Sept. 1-2 in Lovell:


Elders – 1. Dick Wilson, Sundance, 7-1; 2. Gary Weeks, Casper, 5-3; 3. Pat Bacus, Lovell, 0-8.

Juniors – 1. Dillon Vega, Worland, 8-0; Preston Blankenship, Byron, 0-8.

Men’s A – 1. Jim Duncan, Lingle, 9-1; 2. Melvin Banks, Green River, 8-2; 3. Richard Parmer, Lovell, 5-5; 4. Gene Shuler, Powell, 4-6; 5. Craig Smith, Worland, 3-7; 6. George Preis, Lovell, 1-9.

Men’s B – 1. Leo Rundell, Green River, 9-1; 2. Jack Kuhbacher, Gillette, 7-3; 3. Pat McCabe, Gillette, 6-4; 4. Bino Maestas, Rock Springs, 5-5; 5. Ron Nostdahl, Gillette, 2-8; Bob Berchtold, Powell, 1-9.

Men’s C – 1. Rick McCabe, Gillette, 9-1; 2. Butch Fink, Lovell, 7-3; 3. Vern Hamm, Rock Springs, 6-4; John Kiser Jr., Worland, 5-5; Mark Nussbaum, Rock Springs, 3-7; Louis Cardenas, Worland, 0-10.

Men’s D – 1. Arturo Camarena, Lovell, 7-1; 2. Tommy Shuman, Worland, 6-2; 3. Bruce Frederick, Worland, 3-5; 4. Jesse Charles, Worland, 2-6; 5. John Maurer, Sheridan, 2-6.

Men’s E – 1. Kelly DeBusk, Gillette, 7-5; 2. Keith Berry, Cowley, 6-6; 3. Tim Downer, Powell, 6-6; 4. Butch Ealy, Gillette, 5-7.

Mixed – 1. Dean Bragdon, Gillette, 9-3; 2. Robin Matti, Gillette, 7-5; 3. Debbie Hale, Sheridan, 5-7; 4. Dallas Hogan, Gillette, 3-9.

Women’s A – 1. Colleen McCabe, Gillette, 6-2; 2. Vicki Wieseler, Gillette, 5-3; 3. Diana Shannon, Gillette, 5-3; 4. Starla Kuhrt, Gillette, 3-5; 5. Lisa Nussbaum, Rock Springs, 1-7.