Surrounded by friends and family, Dave Skoglie displays his trophy from the world horseshoe championship.
Dave Skoglie came home from the 2024 NHPA World Horseshoe Championship in the Tri-Cities, Wash., with $500, a patch for his jacket and a first-place trophy.
He won 11 games and threw 18 ringers over three days in the elder men’s division (65+).
Skoglie, a retired drilling engineer, was on familiar stomping grounds.
He lived in West Richland for 30 years before he and his wife Bonnie moved to Lovelock in 2012 to be near her family.
His son John still lives in the area and enjoyed spending time with his father over the weekend.
Skoglie belongs to a group of dedicated horseshoe players in Lovelock. While he competed in Washington, his buddies Lee Houston and Dave Johnson ran the annual Frontier Days tournament at McDougal Sports Complex.
JOHN SKOGLIE • Provided to Great Basin Sun
Dave Skoglie tries for a ringer at the World Horseshoe Championship in the Tri-Cities, Wash.,. July 29 - Aug. 1.
On Saturday, Houston threw first place in the singles tournament. Bryan and Nikki Hooper finished second and third.
On Sunday, Nikki Hooper and Ronnie won doubles. Johnson and Lynette Ellis were runners-up. Houston and Bryan Hooper came in third.
The winners took home cash prizes. Before the games, Lovelock resident Paul Davidson dropped off $100 to add to the payout. The Pershing County Board of Recreation added $1,000.
The Rec Board sponsored the Frontier Days tournament.
They've also covered major improvements to the horseshoe pits, now sanctioned by the National Horseshoe Pitchers of America (NHPA). The players enjoy concrete runways and dune sand, plenty of shade and restroom facilities.
The Skoglies are proud of David's first place trophy.
"Right now, he has it in his Man Cave," says Bonnie Skoglie.