The Brantford Golf and Country Club, overlooking the exceptional Grand River again hosted the 56th annual edition of the Big Chief Men’s Curling Bonspiel.

Because of the generosity by Sun Life Financial as the Key Sponsor, teams competed from January 11 through January 13.

This bonspiel attracts competitive teams from across Southern Ontario, Northern Ontario, and the North Eastern United States. In the past teams from as far away as Dallas, Texas and New Zealand have also entered. This year set a record as 4 teams from Ohio came to play.

The bonspiel features very competitive curling, but the camaraderie and sportsmanship are the important aspects that draw teams back year after year.

Piper Justin Willson, recently back from performing for 4 weeks with the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, led the curlers to the ice for the Championship Finals.

And Chair of the ‘spiel’, Mark Moffat joined Piper Willson to toast the curlers.

It was the team from the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club (Editor’s note: The spelling of the Mississaugua Golf Club name is different than the indigenous spelling of the nation), led by Skip Randy Hansuld, prevailed over Skip Scott Sharland’s team from the Brant Curling Club in the First Event Final becoming Big Chief Champions for 2019.

Other event winning teams were: Team Richardson (BGCC), Team Brown(BGCC), Team Phillips(BGCC), Team Forsythe(Guelph Curling Club) and Team Park(Brant Curling Club).