2018 Defeat of Jesse James Days Horseshoe Hunt

Submitted by Administrator on Tue, 04/10/2018 - 2:31 PM

The 21st Annual, 2018 Dates for Hunting: August 29th – September 3rd

Wed – Monday (Labor Day)

Team of 4 adults, Jamin and Melissa Taylor (2nd year in a row) along with Melissa and Paul Bernhard (Paul not pictured) and kids.

Horseshoe Hunt Rules and Guidelines

(IMPORTANT – REGISTER FIRST) Buttons needed to be registered before the start of the hunt to receive the full grand prize. If you did not register and do find the horseshoe, you can claim the $300 consolation prize.
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, Northfield News, KYMN Radio (employees) and their immediate family are not eligible to participate as clues will be posted online, announced on air and found in print no later than 7am each day. Clues are posted online on this site, the Northfield News and the KYMN Radio sites each day. When the horseshoe is found and the Chairman has been notified, notice will be posted on Facebook and broadcast on KYMN radio within 1 hour of discovery. A full explanation of clues will be posted shortly after on this site.
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 able to represent the family 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 are respectful as you search public areas. Should damage to any property occur while searching for the horseshoe, the participant(s) forfeit prize money and maybe ban 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 this week, 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 arrange to meet you and 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. This is how it is verified. You must be present at the DJJD Committee meeting the Tuesday Sept 4th 2018 at 7pm at to receive your check. It’s one of the huge checks you see on TV (but you can’t keep the big version).
There is no cost for this event but you do need to register this years DJJD button 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.
If the horseshoe goes unfound by midnight on Monday, the week of DJJD, the hunt will officially end for the year and prize money will be returned to the donors.

A Note From The Event Chairman

Hunting for the horseshoe can be frustrating, but mostly 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. 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 stories. 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

Event Chair: Tim Freeland. Tim at DJJD dot org. Please Text questions to 507-581-5038.

Please support these Official Event Sponsors! They pay for the prize

Hunt Information

Dates

Scheduled Dates

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Finders

Name

Jamin Taylor

Name

Melissa Taylor

Name

Paul Bernhard

Name

Melissa Bernhard

Prize

Maximum Prize

$1400

Awarded Prize

$1400

Location

General Location

Wheeler Park

Pinpointed Location

In the middle of the field (west) side of the park

44.438131, -93.147755

Clues

Clue 1

Published Date

Tuesday, August 28, 2018, 7:00 PM

“We’re sunk”, he yelled as they scurried from town
Their horse threw a shoe on our beloved ground
They’d get from Northfield to Mankato as sure as there’s a hell
Remember no digging, no climbing as well

The official meaning of the clue.

I’m going to suspect the serious hunters will try to guess I’m going to Dundas this year. I never have since introducing the city as a hiding spot 3 years ago. “From Northfield to Mankato” may seem to be the getaway route (which it was..roughly) but I’m referring to Wheeler parks residing in both towns. Trying something new again may play to Dundas but I’m talking about the new Wheeler park, about 2 years old along Jefferson park. No digging is not just a reminder but a big clue on Wheeler’s famous “digging up” of the bandits killed during the raid to use as cadavers in medical school. He became a medical Doctor (dock). They had been buried in potter’s field (Northfield Cemetery….which is not public property) when legend has him digging them up in the middle of the night.

Clue Rating

Clue 2

Published Date

Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 7:00 PM

Honor your brothers, they swore till the end
No pointing of fingers, we’re in this to win
Nothing was normal and everything new
The boys needed shelter, a splint and some stew

The official meaning of the clue.

Norman Oberto set up Wheeler park in honor of Wheeler, a hero that saved our town. Norm(al) and Honor. The brothers were Jim and Bob riding doubles, Bob, who’s injured arm needed attention and eventually was put into a sling. Wheeler shot Bob. Shelter sets up tomorrow’s clue about an open field and a forest. The big woods the gang hid in but coming out for food and help from local farmers. Trees and no trees. And the key to this clue is the word “point”. There’s a small set of trees on the north side of Wheeler park that is stacked like pool balls in a triangle. They point directly towards where I put the shoe. Looking from above, this perfect triange pointed to where the shoe was.

Clue Rating

Clue 3

Published Date

Thursday, August 30, 2018, 7:00 PM

Every man joined the search from north and from south
They went looking through forest and swale all about
But on what side lay horseshoe and where did they rest
By looking from heaven, you’ll triple your quest

The official meaning of the clue.

Needing to start with an “E” I used “Every”. The massive posse to find the robbers came from all over but many lawmen took the train south from Minneapolis and St Paul. Forest and Swale “roughly” describe the unique and odd split of Wheeler park into 2 halves. Describing the in and out of the Big Woods as they moved towards Madelia. The last line is key. If looking from above, the park is shaped like a triangle (arrowhead) with triangles throughout.

Clue Rating

Clue 4

Published Date

Friday, August 31, 2018, 7:00 PM

Even the Youngers would make up the news
They used the old rifle to decipher the clues
Riding doubles on horseback they sighted the rocks
No fishing around here and watch out for the dock

The official meaning of the clue.

You guys are going to kill me with this one. Wheeler took his first shot and missed, killed Clell Miller with his second shot and hit Bob Younger in the elbow with his third shot (From the Dampier Hotel window). The 4th bullet fell on the floor and broke open. Let’s break down each line. Even the Youngers would make up the news (Focusing on the recent articles on this park…see below). The J&Y gang were notorious at planting fake news and getting rich and powerful people to lie for them. They’d have fake alibi’s and would write to papers saying they had nothing to do with robberies). They used the old rifle to decipher the clues (ahh, the Rifle. The famous rifle and the crown jewel on display at the NHS. Owned and donated by Norman Oberto of Northfield. At this point, I’m well into spelling WHEELER. Deciphering my letters. Riding doubles on horseback they sighted the rocks. Bob wrode doubles on a horse because his was shot and he had a bullet fracture in his right elbow. Of course, shot by Wheeler. The history is really important here. Wheeler park has numerous stone piles. Big rocks, almost as if they were meant to sit on. No fishing around here and watch out for the dock. You’ll find a fish spray painted on the street by the rain runoff grates, telling people not to dump poisonous things down the drain…as it goes into the river. Dock is “Doc”. Dr Henry Wheeler. Watch out for his sharpshooting. And “around” (round)…wheel…Wheeler.

Clue Rating