After surveying the club and analyzing the results, we will be adding several new leagues for next season in the hopes that we can find sufficient room for our burgeoning population of curlers. Following are the new additions:

• A new Come & Curl league Wednesday afternoon at 12:45
• A new Open Daytime league Friday afternoon at 12:30
• A new Ladies Fixed league Sunday evening at 7:00
• Adult Learn to Curl will be offered as one session only Sunday evening at 4:30 for the first half of the season and a Learn to Curl league with coaching for the second half.

The new leagues are in line with the conclusions the board previously announced based upon the membership survey we completed in the fall of 2024.

This initiative will quite literally fill our entire week, every week, with the exception of Saturday morning and afternoon. And many of those are filled with events and clinics.

We will have limited room for rentals and practices next season. But what a great problem to have!

Download the current draft overview of next season’s league offerings and events

Related

• Analysis and Conclusions from Fall Survey

Register for the bonspiel. Dinner and viewing of the Club Championship finals included!

Register for just the dinner. This will allow you enjoy a lovely meal while watching the Club Championship finals going on.

Reported by Cory Mundy

 The 2025 Mad Hatter was yet again a huge success. Teams sporting great hats and costumes tried their luck with dice. Some came up winners, others not so much. Cheers and groans could be heard across the ice as their fortune was told. Whitney Toogood as always served up amazing food that members couldn’t get enough of. Our horse made their appearance and members roared with excitement as they rooted for victory.

Reported by Jim Collings

On Friday 28 February, the San Jose Sharks attacked our curling club as they had requested a Try Curling rental. The whole team was present along with their staff, in preparation for playing the Senators the following day. We provided skilled instruction by numerous volunteers and Whitney made a fabulous lunch for them afterward. There were many compliments turned our way, and it was obvious that they had a great down-time, curling instead of hockey practice! 

Sorry we could not have everyone come by, but they asked for some privacy. 

Reported by Jim Collings

Once again, Huntley participated in Canada Curling Day on February 22, with two events that were very well attended.

Canada's Big Shootout

About 30 members showed up to try the Big Shootout. This is a Canada-wide competition to draw to the pin with as many rocks as possible over a 30 minute period, with the potential of winning $5,000 toward any capital project. The event is filmed and the results are sent to Curling Canada to compare to all other club's results. We only had 2 pins this year (as opposed to 6 last year), completed by Jeff Tindall and new LTC member Cindy Partridge. Last year's winner was from Newfoundland with 13 pins. We hope to do better next year. Thanks to all the volunteers who assisted.

Public Try Curling

We opened the club to the public from 12:00 to 3:00, and between 20 to 30 people showed up each hour to receive instruction from a dozen or more of our volunteers. Those participating ranged in age from 7-80 years. Convenor Laurie Cotten said that many were very taken by the game and we should get some new members out of it for next season. The club is considering hosting additional Try Curling days next season.

As the Curling season winds down, it is time to think about Golf. Our Annual Huntley Golf Tournament is once again being held on June 28th at the Greensmere Golf and Country Club with dinner to follow at the curling club. The sign up will be open next week through the HCC event registrations. Deadline for entries is April 5th. It is, first come, first serve and last year we had a waiting list.

You may sign up in teams of 4 or as singles or pairs if you like. We will make teams with the singles or pairs. The cost is the same as last year $120 per person and this includes 18holes of golf, carts and dinner. There will be prizes for event winners and random prize draws for all entrants. The random prizes will be drawn the day before and a list posted at the event to claim your prize. There will be no refunds for a rain out.

We look forward to seeing you all in June for a fun day out. If anyone is interested in joining the Golf committee, please contact Claire Zanetti. Also, if anyone has a business that would like advertising to donate prizes please contact anyone on the committee.

HCC Golf Tournament Committee
Claire Zanetti
Judy Claringbold- Rhude
Bridgitte Devitt
Maureen McDonald
Sarah Terpstra

Team Sobering, with Charlene Sobering, Dawn Rodney, Heather Kosierb and Kathleen Honeywell, won the A event in 2025 Crystal Heart held in early February.

In late February, Team Douthwright won the District 1 title for the Hamilton Shield. On March 2nd, they went to Smith Falls to meet the District 2 title holder, a team from Mount Royal CC. Team Douthwright won the inter-district Hamilton Shield Championship, beating Team Mount Royal 11-1. They are having a strong run in competative events in 2025 so far.

Reference

• Team Douthwright wins B-side of U7 Bonspiel in Carleton Place, Team McStravick runners up
• Team Douthwright wins A-Final at LCA Stanley-Gauthier

Team Leger, consisting of Heather Kosierb, Bill Sobering, Tracy Samaan and Mark Leger, won the B event at the Perth 150th Anniversary Bonspiel. Included in the picture are the event sponsors. The event was held February 28 thru March 2.

The two Huntley Teams made the B finals in the LCA U7 McCallum Filly Hamilton Shield Bonspiel held in Carleton Place February 22-23. Team Douthwright won the District 2 Hamilton Shield with Team McStravick were the runners up. Team Douthwright has been invited to play in the championship finals this Sunday (March 2) in Smiths Falls against the Quebec team winner of the Division 1 finals.

At the end of a long week of curling, Team Frlan was successful in winning the Bronze Medal. It took a 9th end victory over British Columbia #1 (Team Arndt), 6-5.

Team Frlan was 4 and 2 in Pool A, finishing second in the round robin portion. This gave them a bye into the quarterfinals where they handly beat New Brunswick #1 (Team Gaines), 10-3. Their semi-final match was with Nova Scotia #1 (Team Blades) who had beaten them in their pool round robin and was again successful in edging past Team Frlan, 6-4. This setup the Bronze Medal match-up with British Columbia #1. 

Nova Scotia #1 (Team Blades) won the Gold Medal game, 8-7, over Alberta #2 (Team Desormeau).

We await the return of Team Frlan back in Huntley to hear their stories about their exciting experience in Saskatoon this past week.

UPDATE: February 26

The slate of teams that will represent Huntley this year have been determined. Please consider visiting the Arnprior Curling Club during this event to cheer on our teams.

The competition divisions (and the number of teams to be sent to the event) are as follows:

• Senior Mixed (50+) => Team Lackner
• Senior Mens (50+) => Team Gloyn
• Senior Womens (50+) => Team Homulos
• Open Mixed => Team McDougall
• Open Mens (19+) => Team Telka and Team Cotten
• Open Womens (19+) => Team Lefebvre and Team Brown
• Open Colts U6 (19+) => Team Mundy and Team Bull

Good luck to all members of these club teams!

Report provided by Angie Davis

The Huntley Junior program is thriving! On Sunday February 16th, the HCC hosted a U15/U18 bonspiel in the midst of a winter storm. In addition to 6 teams from HCC, we were pleased to have youth join us from Carleton Heights, Manotick, Royal Kingston, Richmond, RA and RCMP. It was a great day of curling, with lots of talented young curlers. The future is bright in the Ottawa Valley! We would like to congratulate 2 Novice teams and 2 Intermediate teams that finished the day with an undefeated 2-0 record.

Report provided by Angie Davis

Team Lawson puts Huntley back on Winners Trophy at u13 Heartspiel in Prescott

A team from Huntley had a great day of curling and fun at the Prescott Curling Club on February 15. Team Lawson (Lead – Will Scott, Second - Henri Charette, Vice – Ronan Hawkshaw, Skip – Jackson Lawson) won three straight games against excellent opposing rinks from the North Grenville, RCMP, and Rideau curling clubs. The kids gave everyone’s parents such great curling to watch that no one even remembered they were missing the Scotties!

The boys, who are grateful to Ayden Do for his fantastic coaching, amassed the most points to claim the gold medal win for the day. They are proud to have once again put Huntley's name on the Prescott Little Rocks Trophy, which was last claimed by the club in 2016.

The Board is sad to report that Ken Peskett, a Founding and Honourary Member passed away recently, after a long illness. Ken was a key player at the outset, organizing the work crews required to build the Huntley Curling Club in 1980, helping lay the concrete foundation for the club. He curled in the mixed and men’s leagues, locally and provincially. Sadly, a broken leg in 2004 and again in 2008 brought his curling days to an end. At the club, Ken was known for wearing a Stetson hat to every game. Ken and Jackie (who passed in 2015) were heavily involved in the Scottish tours. In 1988 and 1992, they hosted Scotland’s Lord Elgin teams and in 1990 and 1998, represented our Club in Scotland. He spent many hours teaching the game he loved to beginners. He was always there to help out at club events. Ken enjoyed the social side too, he was an excellent dancer and was a good friend to all. 

A second team from Huntley played in the Navy U15 Bonspiel on January 19th and had a very successful day winning 2 of their 3 games.

Pictured above are: Ruoyang Fan, Yanda Wu, Gregory Daley and skip Byron Snow.

Our Huntley U13 teams participated in the Little Rocks (U-13 Bonspiel) held at the Navy Curling Club on January 19th.  The was a lot of excitement among the players, parents and spectators.  

Despite the early draw time that was frowned upon by the team, Huntley’s Team Tindall (Lead – Briana Mackie, 2nd – Aubrey Goodings, Vice – Russell Tindall and Skip Kielle Tindall) brought a lot of energy and managed to place first in their division winning all 3 of their games. 

The entire team, after finding out there were cash prizes, are now contemplating quitting school and becoming regulars on the Grand Slam of Curling circuit! 

Team Tindall will also be one of the two teams representing Huntley at the OVCA Little Rocks Zone 3 Playdowns in Almonte on February 8th. 

After heading west to play in the U18 Nationals, Team Frlan will be heading east for the U20 Nationals in PEI. The team visited the Royal Kingston Curling Club to compete at the U20 Provincials. Following the roundrobin, Team Frlan stood 3rd with a record of 5-2. Their first playoff game was against Team Wilson (Rideau Curling Club) who had beaten them 9-2 in the roundrobin. But Team Frlan was victorious, winning 10-6, to advance and face Team Vivier (Navan Curling Club). Team Vivier remained undefeated in the event and took Team Ontario 1 honours for the U20 Nationals. But Team Frlan will also be playing in Summerside PEI in late March as Team Ontario 2 at the U20 Nationals.

Report provided by Charlene Johnston.

Register online today.

Download the registration form or register online.

Congratulations to Team Douthwright for winning the A-Final at this weekend's LCA Stanley-Gauthier Bonspiel held at Huntley. The team, pictured above left to right, consists of Carolyn Bruce (Second), Leanne Douthwright (Skip), Laurie Thomas-Keay (Vice) and Kari Keays (Lead). In a quick looking at the past winners of the trophy they are holding, the team mentioned it seems it might have been a few decades since a Huntley team had won the A Final.

Another fine event managed jointly by LCA and hosting members from Huntley that was enjoyed by everyone playing this weekend.

Team Frlan won the U18 Womens Provincials that were held at the Mount Forest Curling Club that ran from January 8-12. Team Frlan lost their opening match in a close 7-5 game but never looked back from that point, finishing the round robin with a 6-1 record. Finishing 1st advanced them directly to the Finals. Their eventual opponent, Team Wilson (Rideau CC), had to win a tiebreaker match over Team Acres (RCMP CC) and the semi-final over Team Penston (Barrie CC). Team Frlan beat Team Wilson 6-4 in the final to be declared U18 Provincial champions. Team Wilson will also be going to the U18 Nationals as Team Ontario 2.

Team Frlan consists of Katrina Frlan, Erika Wainwright, Samantha Wall and Lauren Norman. Their coach is Byron Scott.

Injuries can be avoided by following safety precautions. Some key recommendations to keep yourself safe on the ice include:

• Consider wearing head protection - strongly recommended!
• Check the condition of your gripper. Does it need to be replaced?
• Does your gripper shoe need to be replaced? Should you consider wearing another gripper?
• Always step onto the ice with your gripper foot first, and off the ice with your slider foot first (and slowly).
• Never go backwards on the ice as their may be an obstacle behind you.
• Never step over a rock.
• When holding a broom in the house, stand behind a rock rather than just in front of it.
• Never run on the ice or boards.
• Check your equipment throughout the season, not just at the beginning of a season.