Kids love to be creative
and being creative is what painting a horseshoe is all about. The Horseshoe America program includes a horseshoe painting contest. At the end of the first week of the clinic, send the youth home with the assignment to paint their horseshoes in whatever way they would like. Encourage them to be creative. You’ll be surprised what at they come up with. Kids love to express themselves and painting their horseshoes gives them this opportunity.
When the group next meets, a weekend should have passed which offers plenty of time for the participants to paint their horseshoes. Hold a contest at that next meeting and have a parent or other adult judge the horseshoes. It is wise to have several categories so that all youth will be recognized for their effort. These categories might be “The Brightest” for the neon painter, “The wildest” for the animal painter, “Space Champion” for the star wars painter, “Most Patriotic” for the red, white, and blue painter, etc… Also have a “pitchers choice” award and allow all the youth to vote for their favorite paint job (they can’t vote for their own). Award the “pitchers choice” winner a prize or an extra spin on the prize wheel.
It is wise to plan picture day the same day as the paint contest so that all the kids have horseshoes that look as good as they do in their league shirts.
