The Vermilion Bonspiel

Each year, curlers from around Central Alberta came to Vermilion to take part in the popular Vermilion Bonspiel in the hopes of capturing the Alberta Hotel Cup.

At the end of February 1919, the bonspiel saw several close and exciting games. There were about 20 rinks that entered the bonspiel, with seven coming from outside of Vermilion. One was the McClung Rink from Edmonton. I don’t know if the skip of that rink was related to Nellie McClung, but it is possible. There were also two rinks from Lloydminster and three from Mannville.

First there was the Grand Challenge portion of the bonspiel, which saw several great games, but it was eventually won by the McKinnon Rink out of Mannville. The Law Rink out of Vermilion was unable to capture the title from their Central Alberta rivals.

As for the Alberta Hotel Trophy tournament, the McClung Rink worked hard to get to advance, as did the McKone and McLean rinks. Those last two rinks had a match that was described as “fighting good” and it went into the late hours of the night.

With the final four of the McClung Rink, McKone Rink, Sergeant Rink and Pilkie Rink, there was hope that the hometown Pilkie team would make the final but that did not happen. Instead, it came down to McKone and McClung. The Edmonton Journal wrote of the match,

“This resulted in possibly the most exciting game of the series. Both rinks were well matched and had fought strenuously every time they were matched against each other. The first several ends saw the rinks well balanced.”

As the game went on, the McClung Rink began to pull away and, in the end, won the coveted Alberta Hotel Trophy.

The Blue Ribbon contest came down to the Gidley Rink of Vermilion and the Moxley Rink of Lloydminster, with Gidley making the town proud with the win.

Of all the Trophies offered at the bonspiel, Mannville won two, Edmonton won one and Vermilion won one.

After the bonspiel was complete, a smoker was held in the Winterbee block, and the visiting rinks were welcomed as special guests. There was an impromptu program of singing and speeches that continued until the rinks had to catch their trains out of the community. As the trains left the station, residents sang the national anthem to bid them goodbye.

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