EDINBURG – Once a year, the three service clubs of Edinburg face off in a fierce competition to benefit local charities.

This is the ninth year the Kiwanis, Rotary Club and Knights of Columbus have competed against each other in the game of horseshoes.

“Each team makes a donation and the winner of the tournament makes a choice of where the money goes to. For example, last year we won the tournament and we donated the money to Easter Seals,” said Sonia Enriquez, a Kiwanis member.

You can tell by their faces and the pitch, this is serious stuff.

“Rules are that if you get a ringer through the bar, it’s three points. And if you get a leaner – leaning on a bar – it’s two points,” explained Daniel Guzman, a horseshoes game judge. “Anything touching or close within a horseshoe distance is one point.”

Mario Cantu, a member of the rotary club, said many are newcomers to the game.

“We don’t have too many people that are experts in this sport. So, it makes it more fun when you don’t really have any ringers,” said Cantu.  

The prized trophy - a big white horseshoe with stamps of every year’s winners.

“It’s the season when we started in 2008. You can see when we won the first three years, then Rotary won and the rest Kiwanis. Then Knights of Columbus and last year, we won. We just haven’t put a sticker yet,” said Enriquez.

We asked if they had any secrets for winning.

“No, just to throw and aim for the pole,” said Enriquez.

“Nothing to do and probably get started by throwing a horseshoe around. Maybe with a little beer that’s how they came up with a game,” said Guzman.