Portable Court Brings Horseshoe Pitching Indoors

If you're a horseshoe pitcher, you'll be interested in a new portable court that lets you pitch horseshoes indoors as a year-round sport.

Arnold Tool and Die Works, Council Bluffs, Iowa, has come up with Port-A-Court, a steel frame and stake that can be set up indoors in a matter of seconds.

The Port-A-Court is the result of testing about 20 different designs. Besides the heavy duty stakes that can stand the constant beating, the metal frame around the stake is covered with a heavy rubber mat that makes the shoe cling like it does in a clay court. There are also springs under the mat that absorb some of the shock and keep the shoes from bouncing out of the box.

Most recent improvement is a textured rubber that has even better holding quality.

"Shoes occasionally roll out of the box, especially with beginners," says designer Jim Hackett, "so we recommend that the surrounding area be protected with a carpet, canvas, or other material. We've found that particle board provides effective, cheap protection." The indoor courts  are catching on fast with individuals, schools and clubs.