About Us
Originally called the "Get Wild and Throw Stuff Invitational Horseshoe Tournament", The Invitational is the premier recreational horseshoe tournament event in the Upper Midwest, featuring competitors from across the country.
The Invitational is held annually at the Edwin R. Staffen Memorial Horseshoe Court at the Conover Town Park in Conover, Wisconsin. From 2020-2023, the Invitational was held at the St. Germain Community Park in St. Germain, Wisconsin due to renovations in Conover.
The Invitational is unique in that a limited number of invitations to enter the event are sent out each year, and participation is capped at 24 teams. Criteria for inclusion are set by the Tournament Committee, with one hard and fast rule: Once invited, you are invited each year no questions asked until you fail to return a response for two years in a row.
All two-player teams compete for a grand prize purse and the Timothy Winter Memorial Championship Trophy, which is required by most local building codes to be placed upon a mantle and lit with track lighting.
Officials
Referee
DAVE
Dave is the referee and all of his decisions, no matter how poor, are final. By the way, he is the emcee as well.
Official Mascot
TRACKER II
Tracker II has been the official Invitational mascot since 2022.
TRACKER
Tracker - a.k.a. Jerkface - was the first official Invitational mascot.
Tournament Committee
Dave and Leigh Ann make up the Tournament Committee responsible for hosting and putting on the event. Dave is the Chairman but Leigh Ann is the talent and the brains.
Timothy Winter Memorial Championship Trophy
The tournament champion goes home with this majestic trophy, named in honor of Timothy Winter, who has not passed away, but who never attended the Invitational because he never opened his invitation and then wondered why he was never invited.
Golden
Horseshoe
The Golden Horseshoe goes to the participant who has broken the most horseshoes during the year's event. It is literally one of the broken shoes painted gold on site. If no shoes are broken, the award goes to whomever comes closest to injuring someone or does the coolest thing with a horseshoe.
Money
One-third of the entry fees go into the prize fund. The first place team gets 60% of the prize fund, second place 30%, and third place 10%. It's all about the Hamiltons at The Invitational.
Swag
All competitors receive a commemorative T-shirt and the Champions may receive other Invitational branded materials as well.