BYLAWS

KENTUCKY HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION

PREAMBLE

Recognizing the fact that the sport of horseshoe pitching is a wholesome, healthy, enjoyable, competitive recreation, favorable to all persons, at a cost comparable to that of other sports, and with a desire to promote more player-interest among the clubs and pitchers throughout our state, we the pitchers of Kentucky do hereby establish the following Constitution and bylaws to govern our playing activities.

ARTICLE 1. NAME

The name of the organization shall be the KENTUCKY HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION, hereinafter known as KHPA.

ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE

The purpose of the KHPA shall be to foster, develop and promote organized horseshoe pitching on all levels, city, county, state, and regional, both as recreational pastime and as a competitive sport.

ARTICLE 3. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

SECTION 1.

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings of the KHPA in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

SECTION 2.

The bylaws may be recommended for amendment at any scheduled meeting of the Executive Council by a two thirds (2/3) vote of members present. At least 4 of the 7 Executive Council members must be present to constitute a quuorum. Final approval will require a majority vote of membership present at the state meeting.

SECTION 3.

The bylaws may be revised in a like manner.

ARTICLE 4. ADMINISTRATION

SECTION 1.

The KHPA is established as a non-profit organization. All dues charged for membership and entry fees for tournaments are to be used to provide us with the funds to pay our obligations, promotions and awards.

SECTION 2.

The KHPA rules and bylaws are not binding on any individual/club, such individuals, clubs, or leagues may formulate their own rules and regulations for their play. The KHPA is an established entity through which these individuals, clubs and leagues may, if they wish, be associated to foster and promote the game of horseshoe pitching with continuity of leadership, and regulated standardized rules for tournament play.

SECTION 3.

Meetings of the KHPA will be held at the state tournament each year, or as deemed necessary to conduct business.

SECTION 4.

All legislative power herein granted shall be vested in an assembly of the membership, all of whom must be members in good standing of the KHPA.

SECTION 5.

Each member being entitled to one vote, which in order to be cast the member must be present whenever a KHPA meeting is called.

SECTION 6.

Ten (10) members shall constitute a quorum and have the authority to transact the business of the KHPA.

SECTION 7.

Voting shall be by ballot, secret ballot, rising vote, or ayes and nays according to the chairman.

ARTICLE 5. MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1.

Any reputable person may become a member upon payment of annual dues as designated in these bylaws. Annual dues include NHPA Liability Insurance. The person must also be a legitimate resident of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as defined in the department of revenue form #740 or spends a total of 183 days of the year in the state.

SECTION 2.

Juniors may join at a reduced fee as designated in these bylaws. Boys and girls are eligible to compete as Juniors up to and including the entire calendar year in which they turn 18 years of age.

SECTION 3.

Dues for adult members are a National dues of twelve dollars ($12.00) plus KHPA dues of two dollars ($2.00) for a total of fourteen dollars ($14.00).

SECTION 4.

Dues for Junior members are a National dues of five dollars ($5.00) plus KHPA dues of one dollar ($1.00) for a total of six dollars ($6.00) annual dues.

SECTION 5.

Dues are payable January 1, or upon joining, and last until December 31 of the current year.

SECTION 6.

The NHPA/KHPA membership card will be issued by the KHPA Secretary/Treasurer upon payment of both Charter and National dues. A membership card must be purchased prior to participation in any sanctioned event.

SECTION 7.

Any member may be suspended for:

a. Willfully violating any official NHPA playing rule or bylaw of the KHPA

b. Fixing games, cheating, or any other conduct unbecoming a member

c. Placing a bet of monetary value on a contestant, or self, when participating in a competition

d. Using unsanctioned shoes in a tournament

e. Forfeiting in a tournament for an unapproved reason

f. No player may indulge in actions, words, or phrases, disturbing to his opponent, nor will profane or abusive language by any member of the association be permitted upon the tournament grounds

g. No player, score keeper, or tournament director may indulge in the use of alcohol, while on the tournament grounds; with the exception being as a spectator in the seating or bleacher area and adhering to the other parts of Article 5, Section 7 of the K.H.P.A. Bylaws.

h. No tobacco products and/or smoking is allowed in the court area.

SECTION 8.

For any of the reasons above, a member may be suspended for one year. The Secretary/Treasurer shall notify the National Secretary of said suspensions.

SECTION 9.

No member shall be suspended until given a fair hearing before the Executive Council or a board appointed by same.

SECTION 10.

Members who have been suspended may request to be reinstated after the year has elapsed. A majority vote of the Executive Council is needed for reinstatement.

SECTION 11.

All current KHPA members in good standing shall be allowed to vote at all KHPA membership meetings and must comply with the NHPA-bylaws.

A spouse of a current, deceased, or disabled member, or a previous card holder who is unable

to pitch may purchase a NON-PITCHERS membership card. This card allows voting privileges only

and can be purchased for $2.00 through the Secretary/Treasurer.

ARTICLE 6. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

SECTION 1. Members

The Executive Council shall be made up of the officers of the KHPA.

SECTION 2. Authority

a. The Executive Council shall have full power to conduct the business of the KHPA between annual meetings provided such business is not contrary to the bylaws of the KHPA.

b. The Executive Council shall define and interpret these bylaws and its rulings shall be official unless overturned by the membership assembled in quorum by 2/3 vote.

SECTION 3. Meeting

a. The Executive Council shall meet at the Call of the President or any three (3) members of the council.

b. A quorum for any meeting of the Executive Council shall be four (4) members.

c. The Executive Council may conduct business by mail or by telephone when necessary.

d. The Executive Council shall have the power to call a special meeting at a scheduled tournament with a two (2) weeks prior notice.

ARTICLE 7. OFFICERS & OFFICER DUTIES

SECTION 1.

a. The officers of the KHPA shall be

1. A President.

2. A First, Second, Third, and Fourth Vice-President.

2. A Secretary-Treasurer.

SECTION 2.

a. The President shall:

1. be chief executive officer of the KHPA

2. preside at all meetings of the KHPA

3. approve warrants for payment by being the second required signature on all checks received from the Secretary-Treasurer for payment of all accounts.

4. have power to assign specific duties to other officers

5. appoint any committees, Standing or Special, name its chair, change the makeup of the committee, fill any vacancies or discharge the committee as is deemed necessary for the good of the organization

6. be ex-officio a member of all committees

7. in the event of death, resignation or removal of an officer or committee member between meetings, the president is empowered to make appointments to fill the unexpired term

b. The Vice-President shall:

1. in their order, assume the duties of the president in the absence or disability of the President

2. assist the President, when requested, and assume any duties their office may imply

c. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:

1. be custodian of all funds, property, records and other KHPA owned assets

2. keep records of all monies received and disbursed, provide a yearly written statement of the same to the Executive Board of the KHPA, and an oral presentation to the membership

3. pay all bills for routine supplies and all other special purchases that have been approved by the Executive Board of the KHPA

d. The election and terms of officers will be as follows:

1. two year term to be elected on even number years

Secretary-Treasurer

Second & Fourth Vice Presidents

2. two year term to be elected on odd numbered years.

President

First & Third Vice Presidents

e. 1. The President, and all Vice-Presidents terms will run for two years, starting after the end of the State Tournament meeting in which they are elected and ending two years later at the conclusion of the State Tournament meeting.

2. The Secretary/Treasurer term shall run for two years at which time the President shall call an executive board meeting after the last scheduled tournament of that season. At this time a full accounting of financial matters and the passing of all records can be made to the newly elected Secretary, with officers as witnesses.

SECTION 3.

a. Any officer of the KHPA may be removed from their position upon failure to perform the duties of their office, or for any reason or action that tends to reduce or bring discredit to the efficiency of the Kentucky Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Said removal shall be by majority vote of the remaining members of the Executive Council.

b In accordance with NHPA Article 7. Section 13, the KHPA will provide the cost of the NHPA magazine, Newsline, for the President, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Vice President's, Regional Director, and the Secretary/Treasurer during their terms in office.

ARTICLE 8. TOURNAMENT RULES

SECTION 1.

All KHPA sponsored tournaments shall be approved by the Executive Council and shall meet with the requirements of the National Association. All sanctioned tournaments shall require that National rules be followed.

SECTION 2.

All sanctioned tournaments shall be designed to accommodate the number of entries. The number of points and/or method of play at each tournament will be at the discretion of the tournament director(s) and shall take into consideration the number of category entries. With the exception of the State Tournament classes will be mixed to accommodate both 30 and 40 foot pitchers, including male, female and juniors.

SECTION 3.

The Kentucky Horseshoe Pitchers Association will conduct, under NHPA guidelines, a state tournament once each year to determine the state champion in each division. The date for this tournament shall be the weekend immediately preceding Labor Day. The awarding of the State Tournament site shall be by vote of the membership of the KHPA at the annual business meeting.

SECTION 4.

To be eligible to pitch in the state tournament each participant must pitch in at least (4) K.H.P.A. sanctioned tournaments during the year. One of which can be a sanctioned league and one of which can be the previous State Tournament.

SECTION 5.

Playoffs-In all of KHPA sanctioned tournaments including the state ties for first place will require a playoff. In the event of a tie for first place in any class, a playoff of one game will be held and record on the players stats for that day. If (3) or more tie for first place, a ladder playoff will be performed, which averages of all players are calculated, and the two lowest percentages will play first same followed by winner and next highest percentage. Any player that waits for the first game to be played are automatically given byes. Ties for second and third in all tournaments are based on percentages.

SECTION 6.

Any tournament which is rained out or canceled for any reason will not be made up. If three games have been completed, won and loss record will determine the winners; percentage or points will break ties. If play is canceled before the required games are completed, refund of entry fee will be made.

SECTION 7.

The officers and members of the Kentucky Association will at all times comply with the BYLAWS, rules and regulations of both the National and Kentucky Associations.

SECTION 8.

The state tournament can be held two years at the same site, only when the original site must cancel their bid, and the alternate site must then become the host. The alternate may then pursue the bid the next year.

SECTION 9.

If a non-championship class becomes to small it will then be blended in according to ringer percentage, with priority given to whichever division this class was entered. At this tournament men and women will not be mixed.

SECTION 10.

No tournament is to appear on the KHPA's schedule that is not a sanctioned tournament, with the exceptions being the World Tournament and Bluegrass Games. Special events can be listed separately.

SECTION 11.

Clubs hosting a sanctioned tournament must provide score boards, and scorekeepers seats. The KHPA will provide round robin cards and summary charts.

SECTION 12.

State-Doubles Tournament shall be considered a sanctioned tournament.

SECTION 13.

Entry fees for tournaments held in Kentucky, with the exception of the Kentucky State Singles, will be $10.00. Entry fees for tournaments held in surrounding states will be $15.00. Entry fee for Kentucky State Singles will be $15.00 and will require advanced registration and payment.

a. Secretary/Treasurer receives $3.00 per person for every tournament he runs, and the host club receives $1.00 per person. Out-of-State host clubs will receive $5.00 per person.

b. Secretary/Treasurer receives $1.50 per person and the host receives $2.50 per person for running its own tournament.

c. Secretary/Treasurer receives $1.50 per person, the host club $1.00 person, Executive Board member $1.50 per person, when the Executive Board member runs the tournament.

d. No lodging or gas will be provided by the KHPA to anyone running a tournament.

SECTION 14

Scorekeepers, when available will receive $.50 per person per game to be paid by each player.

SECTION 15.

The winners of all tournament, and classes, shall be acknowledged as the champions of the respective tournaments and classes. Tournament champions will receive a NHPA Champion patch as provided from the Secretary of the NHPA. Person who has the highest percentage game in each class will receive a high percentage patch.

SECTION 16.

Juniors may not directly receive monetary awards. It shall be the responsibility of each junior player to make certain their participation in KHPA tournaments does not jeopardize their amateur standing in sports and activities in which they might be interested.

SECTION 17.

Forfeits: In tournament competition, the wins and losses and all statistics accumulated shall remain in the books for a pitcher who has to forfeit one or more games for any reason. A pitcher may miss any number of games due to illness or other legitimate reason approved by the Tournament Director or Committee and still be permitted to return to competition. If a pitcher forfeits for an unapproved reason, the pitcher will not be allowed to return to the competition and will forfeit all prize money and/or awards. Any person who forfeits games shall finish wherever his record puts him in the standings unless the forfeits are for unapproved reasons; the he finishes last.

SECTION 18.

All pitchers’ averages shall be based on the three highest NHPA sanctioned events pitched in the preceding 12 months or the last ten sanctioned events during the same period, whichever occurs first. An average is figured by dividing the total number of ringers by the total number of shoes pitched for those 3 events.

a. Any member without an average will pitch a minimum of 100 consecutive shoes to establish their tournament seeding percentage. This qualifying must be scored in writing and witnessed by two KHPA members no more than 30 days prior to entering a tournament. Alternately a NHPA sanctioned club or league may be used if it covers 400 or more shoes.

b. Members with less than 3 tournaments shall use the combined average of the one or two they have pitched.

SECTION 19.

All tournaments, except State Championships, will be handicapped if the ringer percentage is seven percent or more between the top seeded and the bottom seeded of any given group. Handicap is per NHPA and State Sanctioned Club/League Program guidelines. All handicap class will use the alternate pitch method, this will consist of pitching innings. Once contestant shall pitch first in innings 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14¼..while the other contestant shall pitch first in innings 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16¼..until the game is completed.

SECTION 20.

All contestants shall be properly attired at all times on the courts. This is to include appropriate clothing (shirt, blouse, sweater, shorts, slacks etc) and footwear. Shirts must include the last name of pitcher on the back.

SECTION 21.

Alcoholic beverages will not be allowed on the courts while there is a Kentucky Horseshoe Pitchers Association tournament in progress.

SECTION 22.

The material in the pit shall be watered (if necessary) and leveled by the contestants before a game begins. (Contestants may have someone do this job for them.) During a contest, contestants cannot mash or move the material around the stake and the material cannot be shoveled unless it’s approved by their opponent.

SECTION 23.

No contestant shall touch his/hers shoes or opponents shoes until the winner of points has been agreed upon by both contestants or a decision rendered by the referee. The referee shall declare shoes thrown by a contestant to be foul, if said contestant does not comply with the above rule. Points are awarded to the opponent according to the position of his/her shoes.

SECTION 24.

BYES/PACERS: A “bye” is indicated only when (a) round robin class is not filled sufficiently and players are awarded wins, or (b) advance notification of absence is given. All other circumstances shall be deemed “forfeit”. A pacer is usually used to fill that bye or vacancy in a class. Pacers percentage can be calculated, but not entered stats. A pacers opponent has the choice of pitching rotation or not.

ARTICLE 9. AWARDS

SECTION 1.

Trophies and cash will be given as awards for first place in all tournaments. Second and third place will receive a cash award. No awards will be given for third place if the division has less than seven entries.

SECTION 2.

The Golden Horseshoe award will be voted on and awarded at the State Tournament meeting each year. Ballots will be available at each tournament site. This 1^stvice- president will be responsible for handling the Golden Horseshoe award. This award is given to the person who has done the most during the preceding year to promote, foster and build the sport of horseshoe pitching in the state.

SECTION 3.

The Hall of Fame nominations are to be sent to the Secretary of the KHPA who will make copies and distribute to the chairperson of the Hall of Fame Committee and the committee members. The chairperson will be appointed by the President of the KHPA.

SECTION 4.

The Kentucky Horseshoe Pitcher of the Year is awarded to the pitcher who accumulates the most points during the year. Points are given for participation, placing first or second in your class, and for each game that is won. Each player receives 20 points for participating, 10 points for placing first, 5 points for placing second and 2 points for every win.

SECTION 5.

All other awards such as special, or national awards will be handled by the Awards Committee by the same process.