VERMONT SPORTS HALL OF FAME

Photo Courtesy: Nat'l Horseshoe Pitching Assn.

Horseshoe Pitching

Bristol

Inducted 2025

In an under the radar but widely played sport with 15 million competitive participants in the U.S. and Canada (and countless others in more than two dozen other countries), Debra Brown has proven to be one of the top pitchers in the state, the region, the U.S. and the International Horseshoe Pitching Competition. 

Brown won the annual six-day International title in 2015.  It was part of a string of Brown finishing within the top-four in the world in each of six straight years.  She was the International runner up twice (2012 and 2014), finished third twice (2010 and 2013) and also took one fourth place (2011).  She is ranked 19th in the world in won-loss percentage.

Brown also is a nine-time New England Champion (the second most) and 24 state titles, the most by a female, after winning in August of 2024 in Bennington. She also has won for state doubles crowns.

Her homebase has been Addison County for four decades and she has been doing less on the international stage in recent years due to injuries. Brown has focused on the development of the "Junior Program." She has coached/mentored as many as 16 young players at a time including two Vermont teens that went on to win World titles for boys (2004) and girls (2012).  Her seven-year-old granddaughter won a state title in 2020 making the first Grandmother/Granddaughter Vermont state champions. The success of the junior program goes beyond tournament results as many Addison County youths have used the sport to bond with others, know fair play and competition and learn team work   

Brown, who picked up the low-key sport in 1980 by watching her husband, has been honored with many top national, regional and state awards.  Just a few of them include induction into three Halls of Fame for horseshoes:  the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association (2022), the New England Hall (2003) and Vermont Hall (1994).  The NHPA honored Brown in 2015 with its "Achievement Award" for promoting the sport, while she was honored in New England (2004) and Vermont (2003) with awards for her dedication to the sport.

Brown also was president (2011-2022) of the Sodbusters Horseshoe Pitching Club when she helped organize and build a new state-of-the-art home facility — considered the best in New England — that included 16 poured courts, a new clubhouse, light poles, fence and waterline at the Bristol Recreation Field. Her club will host the New England tournament in Bristol and Addison County for the third time in September 2025.

Brown was the first woman elected president of the Sodbusters and for the Vermont State Association.

And during the off-season, Brown has been busy for more than 40 years keeping the scorebook for both the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity basketball games at Mount Abraham Union High School, including many home games for fellow VSHOF inductee Connie LaRose.