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It's played at picnics, camping trips, and even in your back yard. But as your Athletes of the Week explain, pitching horse shoes can bring out the competitiveness as well.

It's one of the simplest sports to get into, requiring only a pair of horse shoes and the pits to throw them into. So why is competitive horse shoes in Montana so often overlooked?

Wayne Bennett, Montana Horse Shoe Charter Statistician, "Lots of people are intimidated to try this sport, they come out and see these guys pitching 35, 40, 45, 50% and they think, 'I don't belong here' but it's a game for all ages."

It's also a game for all levels. Just because you can't throw a ringer 45% of the time like the best of them, doesn't mean you can't participate in the sports competition.

Bennett, "You're always pitching against someone of your own level or ability which there again makes it for everybody, women, kids."

Horse shoe pitchers from every corner of the State and even Canada gathered in Havre over the weekend for the 2010 State Tournament, including the Dead Ringer Horse Shoe Club from Anaconda, who sported their own charter bus to the Hi-Line.

Jodee Barkell, Dead Ringer Horse Shoe Club, "We started it last year and we only had 20 people, this year we had 30 and hopefully this will just keep picking up."

For the Dead Ringers and many others involved, pitching horse shoes is more about the social aspect than the actual competition.

Barkell, "There's always alot going on with the Anaconda crew, hahaha."

What's the bus trip like over here? That has to be one of the longest trips up here, how much ridiculousness is going on on that charter?

Barkell, "Too much! We have a cribbage tournament on the way up here, we stop at the casino in Box Elder, it's a lot of drinking, a lot of water, hahaha"

Whatever the beverage of choice, the main goal is still to leave the tournament a State Horse Shoe Pitching Champion.

Barkell, "Hopefully we have more than one, there's a lot of divisions so hopefully we leave with a couple, two or three."