CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS ALABAMA HORSESHOE PITCHERS ASSOCIATION Adopted 1964 Article I Name Sec. 1.The name of this association shall be The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Article II Purpose Sec. 1.The purpose of The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association shall be to develop, foster, and promote organized horseshoe pitching at local and state levels. Article III Membership Sec. 1. Any person may become a member of the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association by the payment of dues fixed by the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association and the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Sec. 2.The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association dues are set foradult members at $4.00 and juniors at $2.00 per year. The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association dues are set at $17.00 per year for adults and $5.00 a year for Jrs due and payable January 1st or upon joining of the current year. Our charter association is authorized to collect national dues and issue their cards. Sec. 3.Any member may be suspended for one year for any of the reasons listed below. A. Willfully violating any official playing rule or by-law of the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association and the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association. 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 sanctioned competition. D. Using unsanctioned shoes in a sanctioned tournament. E. Forfeiting in a sanctioned tournament for unapproved reasons. Sec. 4. No member shall be suspended until given a fair hearing before the Executive council of the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association. If the member is not satisfied by the hearing the member shall have the right to appeal to the Executive council of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Article IV Legislative Body Sec 1. The legislative body of The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association shall be made up of the officers of the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association. These Officers are elected each year at the State Convention held each year at the State tournament site. The Legislative Body shall consist of a President, First Vice President 2nd Vice President, 3rd Vice President and Secretary Treasurer. Each officer shall serve a two year term. The President, First Vice President and Third Vice president shall be elected in odd number years. The 2nd Vice President and Secretary Treasurer shall be elected in even number years. The newly elected officers shall take office on January 1st of the year following the election. Sec.2. These Officers of The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association will formulate the policies of the Association between conventions and will be subject to the call of the President. It will be the duty of the officers to work at all times for the benefit of the association. The President shall be ex-officio a member of all committees, either elected or appointed. In the absence of the President the 1st Vice President shall serve as President Article V Local Clubs Sec. 1 It will be the duty of the local club officers to promote and arrange tournaments scheduled for their courts. All sanctioned tournaments must be played under the rules of The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association and the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association. Sec. 2 To clarify any confusion about the foul line, the tournament director or an officer of the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association will explain the foul rule before the start of each tournament. Article VI State Meetings Sec. 1 Roberts Rules of Order, reading as follows shall govern the order of conduction of the meeting. 1. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting. 2. Approval of additions or corrections of minutes. 3. Reading of financial report. 4. Reports of officers and committees 5. Unfinished Business 6. New Business 7. Election of Officers 8. Adjournment Sec. 2.All officers shall have their books, records and other property belonging to the association at the state meeting; or if unable be present they must forward these to the President before the state meeting. All officers shall turn over to their successors of office all records and property that they may have in their possession. Sec. 3.The Secretary Treasurer of The Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association shall be the custodian of funds of the Association. He shall receive all monies to the association for membership and State Tournaments. At no point should any bills be paid by any member of the Association other than the Secretary Treasurer. Article V11 Charter State Doubles Tournament Sec. 1.The State Doubles Tournament is under the direction of the Sec-Treas. A player must be a member of the AHPA/NHPA with an established ringer percentage(played in a minimus of one tournament). Sec. 2.The tournament entry fee must be in the hand of the Sec-Treas no later than the deadline for registration ( normally two weeks) There will be no refund if a player withdraws after the deadline for registration. Article V111 Charter State Singles Tournament Sec. 1.The Alabama Charter must hold a National Horseshoe Pitchers Association Sanctioned State Singles Championship yearly unless there is more than one charter in which case the state tournament will be rotated unless other wise agreed upon by the involved charters. Sec. 2.The State Singles Tournament is under the direction of the Secretary Treasurer. The Secretary Treasurer is the Director of the State Tournament. Sec.3.The State Singles Championship Tournaments are open to those National Horseshoe Pitchers Association members who legally reside in Alabama and meet the regular eligibility requirements imposed by the event unless one meets the requirements of a grandfather clause set forth by the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association. A player must play in a minimum of 3 sanctioned tournaments in the State of Alabama with no exceptions to qualify to compete in the State Singles Championship. These Tournaments must be played within the year starting at the beginning of the year with the new schedule and ending with the deadline for registration for the upcoming State Singles Championship. Entrance fees must be in the hands of the Sec-Treas. no later than the deadline for registration with no exception.(normally two weeks) There will be no refund if a player withdraws after the deadline for registration. Sec. 4.The requirements to enter any sanctioned Horseshoe tournament in Alabama. 1. A combined National Horseshoe Pitchers Association and a State Horseshoe Pitchers Association card. Out of State players must have their NHPA/combined state card plus entry fee set forth by the state officers or special tournaments sanctioned by local charters. (Example Winter tournaments and Diabetes Tournament. 2. New members not having a percentage established must pitch 100 shoes to establish a percentage prior to pitching in a sanctioned tournament. This qualifying must be scored and witnessed by two National Horseshoe pitching Members. 3. Method of Play: A. All games 50 shoes or in special circumstances as directed by the Tournament Director (example handicap or 40 shoes) Exception to this rule is the State Singles Tournament which is 40 point games for the championship classes. B. If their is a tie at the end of the game when playing a shoe count game players will flip a coin or a shoe and will go down and back until game is completed. 4. Ties at end of tournament with wins and losses. A. If it is less than 3 contestants there will be a regular playoff game which is set by the tournament director prior to the start of the tournament. B. If there is a tie with 3 or more contestants a ladder playoff will be played between the contestants of 20 shoe games. Determining who will play who first will be governed by percentage calculated per game played in that tournament. Article 1X Sec. 1. Any rules not mentioned in the Alabama Horseshoe Pitchers Association will be governed by the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association.
