Wilf Gregory - Ladysmith
2019 Inductee

Wilf was elected to the Hall Of Fame as a player

On a particular day in 1995 at the age of 73, Wilf was walking by the horseshoe pitches in Bowen Park in Nanaimo, where a man and lady were throwing horseshoes. Wilf stood by the fence and watched as these two players put ringer after ringer around the pegs. The lady asked him if he had ever tried throwing horseshoes and if he would like to give it a try. Wilf gave it a try and with some encouragement and help about how to throw a horseshoe Wilf got hooked. The lady gave Wilf a pair of diamond horseshoes to practise and play with and the names of those two Bowen Park horseshoe players were Bernice Busch and Murray Rayner.

Wilf, being in good health at the age of 73, started out in 1995 as a 40 foot horseshoe pitcher and played in his first BC Horseshoe Pitching Championships in North Vancouver playing in the Men's Class F division where he placed 2nd and over the next 12 years Wilf attended about a hundred or more tournaments,

the 2002 BC Champion, the 2002 BC International Champion and the 2002 Canadian Champion, Wilf, at the age of 80 was a Canadian Triple Crown Horseshoe Champion.

Wilf qualified to play in the World Elders Class A round robin event as the #1 Canadian seed. To give you an idea of how tough the competition was at the World's, the top player from Indiana had an entry ringer % of 84.32. At the end of the preliminary round Wilf placed 14th and did not make it into the championship round, but he got the opportunity to play against the world's best 30 foot horseshoe players.

During his twelve year horseshoe pitching career, age 73 to 85, Wilf won first place or placed in the top three in almost every BC horseshoe tournament he entered. To say the least he was a real competitor and his on court conduct was exemplary and he was a real gentleman of the sport of horseshoe pitching.

BC 30ft Elder Champion 2002,2003

BC International 30 ft Elders Champion2000,2002,2005,2006

Canadian Championship 2002

We would like you to remember Wilf as that soft spoken, very kind of heart and witty person that he was




Return to Hall of Fame Page