Rose Vennard has been a fixture of Sundre curling for more than 60 years, showing up at the Sundre Curling Club every fall to meet with friends and play the game she loves.
“Every year I just can't wait to get back to my friends at curling,” said Vennard, 90.
Born in Olds in 1922, Vennard has lived in Sundre all of her life, attending school at the East Sundre school along the River Road before moving to the Grade 9 and 10 school then located at the current site of the United Church.
Rose and her husband Everett were storekeepers at Vennard's Store, located along the Bearberry Creek on Main Avenue for many years.
During the first day of seniors curling at the Sundre Curling Club last week, Rose sat down for an interview. She says she first started curling when she was 27 years old after she and her husband joined the club at the one-sheet Eagle Hill rink in 1948.
She said her first and best coach, Karl Hagen, taught her all she needed to know about curling, and particularly the art of good skipping.
“He was the best curler,” she said. “He taught me how to skip and that was good to learn right away. And then of course he helped us when we started up Sundre curling.”
In 1951 Sundre and area curlers got together and raised money to build the town's first curling rink, a two-sheet facility at the corner of 2nd Street and Main Avenue. Rose remembers the wives making lunches and suppers for the men as they built the rink.
When the rink opened in the winter of 1951-1952, Rose started skipping right away and never looked back.
She said over all the decades she still keeps Hagen's advice to not throw the rocks too hard, but to concentrate always on the draw weight. She noted that in the early days of Sundre curling they played 10 ends - now they play only eight.
Over the years, Rose has won many, many bonspiel trophies, both at the original rink and at the new rink. She says her favourite and most memorable win came in the Olympic Year of 1988 when she won the Ladies Bonspiel.
“I've got some great trophies, but the one I'm really proud of is the one from '88. That was great to win during the Olympics. That was the highlight for me.”
When not competing herself, Rose spent many, many days teaching high school students the game of curling.
“I got them away from throwing heavy, heavy rocks and concentrating on drawing,” she said.
With more than 60 years of curling experience now under her belt, Rose says she plans to continue playing every winter.
“I'll keep going as long as when the season starts I can get out of the hack and keep my balance,” she said with a laugh. “I'm hoping I can carry on.”
She also noted that her game hasn't really fallen off at all in recent years - in fact, her team won the Seniors Bonspiel last year, when she was 89.
Marlene Cardon, herself one of Sundre's most accomplished curlers, has played with Rose many times. She calls her a great competitor and a lot of fun to team up with.
“She sure has been a good friend to everyone,” said Cardon.
To show their appreciation for Rose's years of dedication to local curling, the Sundre Curling Club presented her with a large bouquet of flowers on her 90th birthday in May.
