OLDS — The Olds Curling Club’s Ladies Bonspiel, held March 4-6 at the Sportsplex, is in the books for another year.
A event winners were Barb Maybes, Selena Gook, Shelby Medd and Sharon Medd.
B event winners were Judy Schmidt, Koreen Morrison, Margaret Klein and Donna Edwards.
C event winners were Patty Gardner, Cheryl Van De Pypekamp, Shania Snyder and Jody Rice.
Organizer Amy Venneman says 16 teams competed. That’s down from previous years, when she believes more than 24 teams competed, but she deems that a success, given the fact the club was unable to hold a Ladies Bonspiel last year, due to COVID restrictions.
During an interview, Venneman attributed a few reasons to the lower turnout this year.
“I think there’s a bit of everything,” she said. “Some people haven’t curled all year, maybe so they just decided they didn’t want to or because of everything that’s going on in the world.”
She’s hopeful the turnout will bounce back next season.
This is the second bonspiel hosted by the club in recent weeks.
The Gary Gaudette rink won the Seniors’ Bonspiel, a mixed event, held Feb. 14-17 at the Sportsplex.
Venneman said she offered to organize the Ladies Bonspiel after other organizers weren’t sure it could be done.
“They thought it was too late to put on a bonspiel,” she said.
“Usually they put on a really big bonspiel (and get) a really big turnout and I thought ‘well, we could make something happen. It won’t be what it has been, but let’s try to get something going and get everybody out and have some fun.’”
