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Toohey Loves Throwing Horseshoes with His Son

It’s a rare opportunity to get a chance to play a sport with your son. Westbrook resident Keith Toohey has had that opportunity while competing alongside his son Kris in the Deep River Horseshoe League (DRHL) for the past few years, and he’s enjoyed every moment of the experience.

Keith, 62, plays for the Braves in the C Division of the DRHL, while his son Kris, 31, competes in the A Division as a member of the Cardinals. Although they don’t typically play against each other on Thursday nights, the father-and-son duo loves throwing horseshoes as they represent their family in the DRHL.

“It makes me feel proud and feel good as a dad. [Kris] took to the sport with a passion and really excelled in it,” says Keith. “I’m a C player, but with that said, it seems to be like it’s in the blood.”

Keith’s motivation to compete on the local horseshoes circuit stems from the people around him. Keith’s teammates on the Braves and fellow members of the DRHL boost his confidence in the horseshoe pits, along with his overall enjoyment of the sport. Keith feels that it’s a comfortable environment and says that the sportsmanship, competitiveness, and camaraderie are the best aspects of the league.

“Everybody on the opposing team roots you on,” Keith says. “If you hit good, [they say], ‘Great shoe, great shoe!’ If you hit bad, [they say], ‘Keep trying!’”

Keith and the Braves didn’t do as well as they had hoped during the 2022 season, coming up shy of qualifying for the playoffs. Keith has experienced plenty of success in the past, but even with a trio of talented players, the Braves’ playoff aspirations didn’t pan out this year.

“We didn’t do that well. We’re second-to-last, but the players that are on my team are all good players,” says Keith. “They’ve been playing for years. They said sometimes it goes like that.”

Even though his team saw some struggles, Keith still proved a formidable thrower and consistently posted solid scores in the DRHL this summer. Keith’s performance puts him as one of the top players in the league’s C Division. DRHL statistician Joe Heery has seen Keith continually improve with his horseshoe-tossing skills.

“Keith is very consistent and very low key. He doesn’t get upset if he has a bad game,” Heery says. “He does his best and he continually tries hard to be a real team player to contribute to winning.”

Regardless of the final results, Keith always seems to make a difference in his team’s key matches, including a few times where he was matched up against his son. Keith remembers a playoff duel from last year where he got the last laugh on Kris by the time the final shoe was pitched.

“Last year, I was on a team that made it into the playoffs, and we actually played the first-place team, which was my son’s team. We won it over my son,” says Keith. “We bumped him out of the playoffs. Within the next couple games, we got bumped, too. It was pretty funny, actually.”

While there is plenty of intense competition once the playoffs begin, Keith knows that the allure of the DRHL stretches past the final scores and outcomes. Keith has formed friendships with teammates, opponents, and spectators alike throughout his time in the league. Keith is always focused on performing his best, but he realizes that life in the DRHL goes beyond the game of horseshoes.

“The camaraderie is strong. Everybody’s looking forward to seeing each other every week. I find that really good in a league where it’s encouraging. I build friendships there,” Keith says. “We talk about everything under the sun when it comes to families, jobs, retiring, and gardening. Any subject that you can think of has probably come up in the league.”

Thanks to the community that the DRHL has built, Keith likes to spend as much time as he can at the league’s matches. Even though the Braves’ season has come to a close, Keith will still be attending the playoff contests in order to support his son and everyone else who is participating in the postseason.

“I will be down observing the playoffs,” says Keith. “Kris’s team is in the playoffs, and I just like to support watching the playoffs, even though we didn’t make the playoffs, just to keep that camaraderie going.”

Outside of competing in the DRHL, Keith enjoys playing bass in his band Pura Vida, which means “pure life” in Spanish. The name reflects Keith’s personality and involvement with both his band and the DRHL—two things that he loves.

As he lives the good life by throwing horseshoes in the same arena as his son, Keith keeps encouraging others to give the DRHL a try. Keith originally began attending matches as a spectator and a substitute. Now, Keith wants to see more people do the same, so they can potentially enjoy competing in the league as much as he does.

“The Deep River Horseshoe League has not only a fabulous reputation, but it’s encouraging for new people to join. It’s a strong factor,” Keith says. “When you have a sub or somebody brand-new, you try to encourage them to sign on for full-time just to join a team or just to be more involved.”