Norwegian at home in states playing horseshoes

CEDAR RAPIDS - Inge Byrkjeland said he absolutely loves the United States.

Some of it is the food. Some is the culture and unique attractions. Mainly, it's the people of his "horseshoe gang" that welcomed the Norway native when he made his first of a dozen appearances in the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association World Tournament in 1991.

“I immediately felt like home, because the camaraderie and sportsmanship was about the same,” Byrkjeland said. “It was easy to plan to come again and again. Of course, I met some very, very good friends, like family, so I've been coming over and over again and will continue to come over.”

Byrkjeland will experience Eastern Iowa after playing the last three days in the 2010 NHPA World Tournament at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. He competed in the men's open division Monday and Tuesday before completing his run Wednesday.

He arrived in the United States July 10 and will return to Norway on Aug. 9. Byrkjeland stayed with horseshoe acquaintance, Ron Weiss, in Pittsburgh for a couple weeks before heading to St. Louis, then to Wentzville, Mo., to see the national Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame, and another stop at St. Louis before coming to Cedar Rapids. He is staying in a motel with friends, Phyllis and Jim Quist, of Ferndale, Wash.

"Travel alone is $2,000," Byrkjeland said. "Another $2,000 to live on."

Some fans pointed out the town of Norway near Cedar Rapids, though he was unfamiliar with it or it's rich baseball tradition. He was aware of the strong Nordic heritage of Northeast Iowa and considered visiting Decorah. With his competition over, he has time to experience the area.

“Now I can start looking around,” said Byrkjeland, adding that Cedar Rapids would be considered a large city in Norway.

It will likely be different from his home just north of Bergen located on Norway's West coast. It's an area known, at least at one time, for the sport that's part him back to America repeatedly.

“I'm sort of in the horseshoe district,” Byrkjeland said. “There aren't that many pitchers left. Fifteen years ago it was very, very big, but now it's decreasing heavily.”

Byrkjeland started throwing horseshoes as a 6-year-old during holiday while at a farm where his mom was from and started competing in tournaments about 30 years ago. It didn't take him long to climb the ranks in Norway. He noted he owns a record six national championships in men singles to go along with six world titles.

“It was easy to pick up horseshoe pitching as a competition,” Byrkjeland said. “I used about three or four years to come to the top in Norway.”

This year, Byrkjeland wasn't satisfied with the end result, but he did highlight the fact that he entered the tournament with a 27.5 ringer percentage and that improved to more than 30 during the event.

“I was in the middle of my class somewhere,” said Byrkjeland, who normally throws a winter horseshoe, small enough to actually fit on a horse, back home and has to adjust to a slightly bigger one here. “Everybody seemed to beat everybody, getting very high games over their average.”

It was his success at home is what led him to consider taking his talent to the U.S., even though it was a different path to the NHPA world tournament.

Byrkjeland heard about the competition and wasn't sure how to obtain the necessary information. So, he called the American Embassy, which was able to supply him with information on the NHPA world tournament and contact the NHPA secretary treasurer. He later secured an invite to the competition in Biloxi, Miss.

“I phoned the American Embassy. They should know things. They should know the stuff,” Byrkjeland said. “That was the right place to go."

It led to the first of 12 world tournaments, including 1991-93, 1996-97, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and this year. Gillette, Wyo., is the only repeat host, holding the the 1996 and 2006 tournaments. The 58-year-old Kindergarten teacher expects to keep returning to the event.

“If I go every other year or two or three years, I've seen most of the U.S.,” Byrkjeland said. “Of the 12 times, it's only been held in the same place twice.”

In addition to the various locales and people, Byrkjeland has an affection for American food. He said he gains weight every time he visits here due to his love for the food here. He also said it's much cheaper here than back home. Byrkjeland would limit himself by identifying a favorite treat.

“If I say I have a favorite food then I'd have one,” Byrkjeland said. “I like so many foods, I can have my favorite food every day, every meal. That's much nicer.”

Byrkjeland said if time and money weren't a factor he would spend at least six months traveling all over the states. One could expect the inclusion of horseshoe pals and plenty of ringers.

“That's my dream to win the lottery back home and take a long vacation over here," Byrkjeland said. "Pitching a lot and having a lot of fun."