Men rockin’

Times Reporter   

 

The Strathmore Curling Club played host to their men’s bonspiel from March 17-23, with a total of 30 teams – and 120 participants – crowding into the Strathmore Curling Rink. Men traveled from as far as Red Deer to play for prizes; the table of awards was worth approximately $16,000.

“Our bonspiel is very competitive. We don’t have many two-time winners. There always seems to be a new team that emerges every year,” said Brent Ashlee, head of the men’s league. Ashlee has been involved for roughly ten years.

The event had four main sponsors – Strathmore Golf Club, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, and Speargrass Golf Course – but also had help from other local businesses.

“Obviously, it’s not cheap to do this,” Ashlee said. “It’s a lot of fellowship and a lot of fun. A lot of our teams go to other bonspiels; these other teams reciprocate. It keeps the club going.”

Ashlee mentioned numbers have declined in years, as up to 60 teams used to be involved in the event. Those teams included farmers and local businesses who would shut their doors to come and curl, Ashlee said.

Another reason for the slip in numbers is due to the lack of young players.

“It’s hard to get youth curling,” Ashlee said. “We have a very good junior program, but it seems to stall when kids graduate, and then they move away.”

The average age of participants was in the mid-40’s, though there was one younger team involved, who had competed in junior curling Provincials. 

The tradition of the men’s bonspiel has been around for nearly 65 years.