2026 Season at a Glance
15 active teams compete across three divisions this season — one team dropped out (second Moe-B-Dick's squad) bringing us from 16 to 15. Each division carries 5 active teams plus 3 bye-slot placeholders to keep the schedule balanced. With an odd number of teams, one team sits out each week.
The 17-week regular season runs April 30 through approximately September 3rd, with Week 12 (July 16) as a full league bye week. Position rounds and championship play follow before the Annual Picnic on September 13th at McHenry Moose Lodge.
Handicap structure: Red gives White 6 pts/game · Red gives Blue 12 pts · White gives Blue 6 pts. Intra-division handicap is half the win differential, capped at 12 points. All handicaps are auto-calculated from the HANDICAP tab in the league workbook.
Division breakdown: Red = Teams 1–5 (bye slots 6/7/8) · White = Teams 9–13 (bye slots 14/15/16) · Blue = Teams 17–21 (bye slots 22/23/24).
Welcome to the Redesigned NIHL.US
The league website has been fully rebuilt for the 2026 season. The new Sponsors page now features interactive maps for all 9 venues — click Show Map on any sponsor card to see the location inline, or scroll down for an all-venues map and a live weather radar centered on McHenry County (handy before Thursday night play).
The Documents page now updates automatically — as soon as weekly results are uploaded to the server they appear in the 2026 tab with no manual site editing required. Have Fun Out There!
2025 Season Meeting at Moe-B-Dick's
President Ed Begley called the meeting to order at 7:06 PM on an unseasonably warm evening. After deliberation, captains voted to open the 2025 season on Thursday, May 1. The annual Chili Open was set for Sunday, April 27 at the McHenry Moose — this year featuring a chili cook-off contest. Bring your best recipe and compete for the title.
2025 was a rules voting year. The most notable change: the top two teams in each division will now play their final position-night matchups the week after all other games conclude, hosted at the Moose in McHenry. The league held steady at 16 teams, with active recruiting underway before opening day.
2024 Season Preview — New Dynamics
Team captains gathered at Moe-B-Dick's at 7:00 PM. The league remained at 16 teams. Efforts were underway to scout new locations with horseshoe pits and recruit additional players. The Chili Open was slated for the Bolt On Inn the Sunday before opening day.
The two-season handicap rule was reaffirmed for consistency. The starting lineup sheet was adjusted to prevent the same players from consistently opening matches — adding fresh dynamics without changing which matchups occur. The meeting lasted about an hour and was notably productive.
President Ed Begley introduced the "Cornholio" app for weekly scorekeeping, praised for its bright font readable from forty feet away. The idea drew enthusiasm from some, skepticism from flip-phone users, and silence from a few others. Reducing from three divisions to two was raised but tabled over concerns about limiting divisional championship opportunities.
The Sport of Horseshoes
The game of horseshoes traces its roots to ancient Greece around the 2nd century B.C. The Romans adopted and spread it across Europe, and by the Revolutionary War era it had become popular among American soldiers as a morale booster in the field.
The first official horseshoe pitching tournament was held in Bronson, Kansas in 1910. The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association (NHPA) was formed to standardize rules and promote the sport nationally. Today, horseshoes is celebrated for its accessibility, competitive spirit, and the community it builds — exactly what the NIHL is built on.
Three Divisions
Fifteen teams compete across three divisions each season. From precision veterans to newcomers finding their stride, the NIHL fosters friendly rivalry and real camaraderie.
Red Division
- River Rats
- Krakens
- Crew
- MedRyders
- Boomers
White Division
- Stingers
- Knucklers
- Golden Shoes
- Silver Shoes
- Bud's Shooters
Blue Division
- Hitmen
- Ringers
- Green Barons
- Repeters
- Hookers