Helena Roving Ringers Horseshoe League
Rules for 2025
Sponsors
1. The sponsorship fee will be $25.00 per team, which must be paid by the 3rd week of play, or the team will be suspended (on or by May 21st), all games will be forfeited until paid. The sponsorship money will be paid to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams in each division. This will be divided as follows: 3 - first place teams - 50%; 3 - second place teams - 30% and 3 - third place teams - 20%.
2. The establishment will buy a round of drinks (you get what you have been drinking or there may be a limit on the amount & you pay the difference) for the members playing with their establishment.
3. The sponsoring (Home) team has the sole responsibility for ensuring that the horseshoe pits at their establishment meet the following minimum requirements:
(a) The pits meet standards (within reason) as prescribed in these rules. The pits must have sand, not dirt or clay. The committee will inspect any establishment's pits if a complaint is received. The committee will note any problems, advise the appropriate establishment, and team captains. Discrepancies should try to be corrected as soon as possible.
(b) The home team (not the sponsoring establishment) maintains the horseshoe pits prior to the beginning of each weekly game by raking and sweeping as needed.
(c) The establishment will provide one set of Diamond Double Ringer horseshoes (in good playing condition) for each team on each pit.
(d) Each set of pits will have a scoreboard.
4. A two-team sponsor will have one of its teams playing at home every week, if possible. A one-team sponsor will have its team at home half of the season.
5. If a sponsor cannot provide horseshoe courts, they will coordinate with another establishment to do so. The original sponsor will also ensure they provide a round of drinks to the team players.
6. There will be one team per pit at each establishment.
Rules of Play
1. Starting time will be 7:00 p.m., Tuesday night, starting the first Tuesday in May and running for 14 weeks. If the 4th of July falls on Tuesday, that week will be skipped. A 15-minute grace period is in effect for all team members to arrive. (See item 6 of this section for forfeitures and item 8 of Administrative Notes for rescheduling.)
2. Each team will play six games per night. The four players on each team will play three games each.
3. Cost of play is $6.00, with $1.00 of this to be used as follows: one half of the money collected will be paid out to the tournament teams for each division/league and the second half will be used for recruiting/advertising the league for the following year.
4. All players (male & female) will throw from forty feet. No exceptions!!
5. Diamond Double Ringer horseshoes are the only shoes allowed during league play.
6. No "Skunk" games. (11 to 0 is not a win.) Teams will play all games to twenty-one points. No "win by two", therefore 21 to 20 is game.
7. No forfeits from shortage of players. If a team is short one or more players, they will either write in the name of the missing player/players on the score sheet or get someone out of the bar to play that night. Play will start as normal with no horseshoes thrown when the missing player's turn comes up. Remember, whoever starts the game must finish. If the missing player shows up after play has started, he or she will take their turn (if their name was written down for that game on the score sheet at the beginning of play), but they cannot replace someone that is already playing. In the case of a forfeit or no-show team, the team who showed up to play, (home or visitor) will receive 126 points. To be eligible for the 126 points, the weekly fee must be paid. There will be no option to make up the forfeited games.
8. Teams will determine questionable measures with a 6" ruler.
9. Closest shoe to the stake (within 6") equals one point, ringer equals three points.
10. Home team: fills out score sheets, one copy for each team. Someone from either team with a cell phone must text a picture of the finalized white scoresheet to the Admin Secretary listed at the bottom of this rule sheet. The money from both teams and the original (white copy) of score sheet goes into the envelope and is taken to a drop site, unless the team has paid up front. If you give your envelope to the bartender to drop for you, please watch and make sure it gets dropped before you leave. If possible, drop it yourself. (See Administrative note #6.)
11. The visiting team will throw first. The winner of that game then starts the following game.
12. Team members decide among themselves which end of the court they elect to throw from.
13. Players CANNOT sub to a lower division.
14. Players must be 21 years old to join the league.
15 Year-end tournaments will be held at the end of the season (date is shown below) and will be for a traveling trophy for each league. Rules for tournaments are that those who play for your team will have played at least four times during regular season to be eligible to play.
Administrative Notes
1. Regular season play will start the first Tuesday in May. The preseason meeting will be scheduled the 2nd Wednesday in March and the Captain’s meeting 2 weeks later. It will be held at the VFW in E. Helena at 7 pm. Order of business will be the election of Officers (as needed); Sign up; and Suggestions for rule changes. The payout at the end of the season will be printed on the team schedules. Date and time are shown at the bottom of this document.
2. A team's finishing position for the previous year will determine the division for the team. The Officers will re-evaluate teams with changed players from the previous year prior to regular season play to figure out if the team should stay in the same division. New teams will start in C league, unless the president can determine they belong in a different division.
3. This league plays for a 14-week season with a maximum of twenty-four teams in each division.
4. Playing fees will be $6.00 per player per night ($24.00 per team per night). This money minus the secretary/treasurer's fees and expenses will be paid back to the players at the end of the season.
5. All teams must use the preprinted score sheets. Prior to the start of games, names are chosen at the team's discretion to determine who plays in position 1 through 4.
Please include the first and last names of each player for the first few weeks and with any sub when playing for the first time. The team captains will sign and date score sheets and envelopes with the complete names of the teams playing.
à All Teams will text the finalized scoresheet to the admin secretary listed at the bottom of this document.
6. The Home Team is responsible for all money and score sheets to be dropped off at designated drop locations: Montana City Grill, in Montana City; the VFW in East Helena; American Legion; and the Valley Hub in Helena. Money and score sheet envelopes will be picked up from drop locations on Thursday by noon. There will be a $5.00 penalty fee on the home team for each time the money or score sheets are turned in late or are missing. This money will be deducted from the team winnings at the end of the season.
7. Members authorize the secretary/treasurer's fee of $.30 per player per week for the weekly fees.
8. Members Authorize payment, off the top, for the RovingRingers.com Website.
a. Current price is $13 per year (for the .com name) plus $12 per month (for Google Domains which provides an email address ‘…@rovingringers.com’ and the update tools and publish handling of changes on the site. Each of these costs $6 per month).
b. The total under this price structure for one year is: $157 ($13 + $144).
c. Currently, the Admin Secretary (Jim) pays for the site then is reimbursed by the league. This could be changed to have the cost come out of the bank account owned by the league. *Still Pending. Research needed.*
NOTE: The admin secretary must transfer all League paid for website access, licenses, logos,
templates, and anything else used to support the Helena Roving Ringers Horseshoe League, to the next admin secretary, when a new one is elected. All website material is the property of the Helena Roving Ringers Horseshoe League and is only to be used to support the league as approved by vote.
Very Important~~~~~Please note:
9. If for any reason one or both teams cannot make it to play on the scheduled night, the following actions must take place:
(a) The place of play, the opposing team captain and the secretary/treasurer MUST BE NOTIFIED of the cancellation prior to the scheduled game time by the team captain requesting the change.
(b) The two team captains and the establishment will reschedule a makeup game to take place at the scheduled establishment WITHIN ONE WEEK.
(c) If the teams cannot meet the above conditions for uncontrollable circumstances (one week of rain), they MUST NOTIFY THE SECRETARY to work out an equitable solution.
(d) Both captains must agree to play in inclement weather or reschedule.
(e) In case of a forfeit/no-show team, who does not call prior to the start of play or by 7:15, the team who showed up to play, (home or visitor) will receive 126 points. The no-show team will receive ZERO POINTS and there will be no option to make up these games.
10. Please do not bring in drinks or food to sponsoring establishments. Support those who sponsor us.
11. Tournaments scheduled during league will start at designated times. Sign up will be 1 hour prior to start time.
12. Just a reminder to be courteous and be careful of your language. Have FUN and have a great season!
13. Elections of officers will be held at the payoff meeting, date shown below.
President: Cloyde Johnson (406)465-1465
Vice President: Christy Leland (406)461-8960
Tech Consultant/Admin Sec: Jim Devine (406)459-5565
Please call Jim if you have questions, are canceling or rescheduling the Game.
Thanks, and have a wonderful year!
Notable Dates:
First Game: Tuesday May 6th
Last Game: Tuesday August 5th.
Year End Tournaments: August 16th. (Times and Places TO BE Announced)
Pay off at the Hub: August 19 at 7 pm