Ring and Hook Pub Game

Welcome 2012!!  I'm looking forward to a great year ahead.
Today I wanted to share a project that I made and gave to my son for Christmas this year.

When we went on our Disney European Cruise this summer, my son spent much of the free time we had playing this ring and hook pub game in one of the lounges.  It is a game that consists of a string attached to the ceiling with a ring at the end of the string,  that you have to swing and attempt to loop the ring over a hook on the bull's nose.

For Christmas my husband asked me if I could make this game.  Of course I could!!  I started with a wood plaque I bought at AC Moore using a 50% off coupon.  I painted the face of the wood with Anne Sloan Chalk paint in Old White and painted the edges with a craft paint in grey.

Using my Silhouette machine I cut out a bull's head in black vinyl and the letters in blue vinyl.

Here is the finished plaque before the hook.

We hung it on one of the oak columns in our basement.
You need sufficient space on all sides in order to toss the string.

I wanted to safely hang it from the ceiling and make it easily removable whenever the game was not in use.  I started by having my husband drill a hole in a small dowel.  I then threaded the string through the dowel.  I added a little black electrical tape over my knot to ensure it didn't slip.
All materials were purchased at Home Depot.

Then my husband drilled a small hole in the ceiling and used a plastic wall anchor and
screwed an eye hook into the ceiling.

Image

Here are the exact dimensions necessary for the game to work.
The small dowel with the string goes through the eye hook.

Whenever the game is not being played we just remove the dowel.

We then measured the exact height and added the metal loop at the end.

Voila!  This entire project cost less than $10 and my kids have played it all week long.  Any time we have had company this week, they have played as well.

Both my son and daughter have "ringed" the hook almost 80 times each.  They are actually keeping a tally.  If you look closely you will see that I have zero.
Yes...I have the skill to build it, but apparently lack any skill to play it.  Lol

Anyone else ever try this game?  It's addicting.

-Judy