Dodson places third in class at world tournament

A member of the Bayou Horseshoe Pitchers Association placed third in his classification at the National Horseshoe Pitchers World Tournament in Hamburg, New York, earlier this month.
Al Dodson of Morgan City placed in the Class N Elders division.
Dodson, who came into the tournament with a ringer percentage of 35 percent, shot a ringer percentage of 38 percent for the tournament.
While Dodson said he was tied for second with four competitors, he received third place because he had the second-highest ringer percentage.
Joe Delaney of New York won the Class N Elders division, while Hiram Paradee of Vermont was awarded second place.
For Dodson, one of three Bayou Horseshoe Pitchers Association competitors at the event along with his wife, Linda Dodson and Issac Chavalia, finishing in the top three is always something that he strives to do.
This year’s finish marked Dodson’s second top-three finish in his third world tournament.
Dodson, who is in his 21st year competing in organized horseshoes, finished seventh in the 2011 tournament, while in 2012, he won a senior men’s division title at the tournament. He said he was unable to attend in 2013 due to health reasons before coming back this year with a third-place finish.
Dodson, 69, has moved up this year to his current classification, in which competitors compete from 30 feet away instead of 40 feet.
This year, he was one of 16 competitors in his class and finished 11-4.
Linda Dodson competed in the Women’s Class F and Chavalia, in the Men’s F2 Class.
The trio was among 1,264 participants to attend the tournament.
To attend the event, Al Dodson said players have to be sanctioned and have played four events in a year.
Participants are classed at the tournament by their average ringer percentage.
The Bayou Horseshoe Pitchers Association plays every Tuesday at Kemper Williams Park near Patterson and also compete at Kemper Williams as well as other tournaments across the state.
The organization will host a tournament Saturday at Kemper Williams beginning at 9 a.m.
Those interested in joining the Bayou Horseshoe Pitchers Association can call Al Dodson at 985-519-3644.