The 26th Annual, 2023 Hunt Dates: Aug 30th – Sept 4th

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Horseshoe Hunt Rules and Guidelines

  • (IMPORTANT – REGISTER FIRST) Buttons need to be registered before the start of the hunt to receive the full $2075, 2023 75th-Anniversary grand prize.  If you did not register and do find the horseshoe, the payout is $1075.
  • We ask that you follow COVID-19 safety guidelines.
  • Northfield public school grounds are NOT city-owned and exempt from this contest.  Please stay off all school property, including the colleges.
  • Members of the DJJD Committee (per the prior years’ official brochure) and their immediate families are not eligible to participate.
  • Clues are posted online on this site, the Northfield News, and the KYMN Radio sites each day no earlier than 7am.
  • When the horseshoe is found and finder eligibility is confirmed, the announcement will be officially posted on this site and Facebook. A full explanation of clues will be posted shortly after.
  • The winner must be 18 years old or older.  In past years, families & groups join together to work out the clues and search for the horseshoe.  This is acceptable as long as a legal adult is supervising the search and is able to represent the family/group if found.
  • The horseshoe will be located on public property within Northfield or Dundas and will not be buried. NO digging will be needed in the retrieval of the horseshoe and it will not require the use of a ladder. PRIVATE property is excluded and we ask you to be respectful as you search public areas. Be sure you research whether a spot is public or not before looking there.  Should damage to any property occur, or any rule be broken while searching for the horseshoe, the participant(s) become disqualified, forfeit prize money and may be banned from future contests.
  • While the police are notified in advance of this contest and made aware of the possibility that people may be walking around aimlessly, private property owners have the right to contact authorities if you are on their property.
  • The DJJD Committee is not responsible for any personal injury or accident incurred hunting for or retrieving the horseshoe.  The horseshoe is placed with safety in mind. Closely monitor children in your party. Please hunt responsibly.
  • When the horseshoe is found, the winner must immediately notify Tim Freeland (507-581-5038). Tim will confirm the shoe authenticity. There is only 1 horseshoe like this one in the world. Only past winners are aware of the markings on its backside used for verification. You must be present at the DJJD Committee meeting the Tuesday following the event to receive your check.  (Usually held around 6:30pm at the Northfield Eagles Club location). The horseshoe is a historical artifact and must be returned to the committee. Tim will take the horseshoe from you upon verification or shortly after.
  • There is no cost for this event but you do need to register this years DJJD button in advance to claim the FULL prize.
  • If you win, you must agree to be publicly named along with the possibility of an on-air radio interview, your photo and name(s) on various local websites and a picture and write up in the paper (possible but not guaranteed).
  • If the horseshoe goes unfound by midnight on Tuesday, the week of DJJD, the hunt will officially end for the year and prize money will be returned to the donors. The purse does not grow into the next hunting year.
  • The use of metal detectors are prohibited. If you see someone using one, please alert Tim (Text 507-581-5038). The use of magnets are allowed.

A Note From The Event Chairman

Hunting for the horseshoe can be frustrating, but very much rewarding. My goal is to get people out in the community to enjoy our great city, the public areas and to be with friends, families and neighbors. I want you to learn about our public areas and history. Clues have been interpreted in many different ways each year. If you think you’ve come up with a clever connection relating to your hunt experience, please email me with details.  I love to hear about it. Tell me your story.  And if you find anything that resembles a horseshoe, as many people do amazingly, take a photo of it and send to me. 

I do my best to be fair to all hunters and to give everyone an even playing field. Remember that our committee is an all-volunteer organization and we do what we do because we love the event, the City, and the people. While my clues often involve the use of technology, I do not ever make it so those who are not tech-savvy are at a disadvantage. 

Once the game is over, I will publish an explanation of all clues that reveal what I had in mind when writing them.  Thank you for hunting! 

Tim Freeland – Event Chairman 

Tim at DJJD dot org. Please Text questions to 507-581-5038. 

Please support these event sponsors! They pay for the prize!