Strathcona Cup - part 2

A Message (and history) from a 2003 tourist :

You are halfway through your tour. Bonds have been made; characters sized up. You are playing for the Strathcona Cup, a trophy that dates back to the very early 1900s, to the very first tour that the Canadians made to “the shores of Auld Scotia” back in 1909.

Team Canada

It is worth reflecting on the trophy for a second. It was presented to the Royal Club for competition between the Canadians and the Scots by Sir Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, a Scotsman who had a foot in both camps, for he was the Governor General of Canada and spent many years living on the other side of the pond.

Team Mouat and 'The Cup' meet the tourists

Let a writer of the time describe the cup. “To this great arbitration (the test matches during the 1909 tour) keen zest was added by the presentation of the noble President, Lord Strathcona, of a handsome Challenge Cup …………. and which it would be averred is without a superior among curling trophies at home and abroad. This splendid trophy, which was selected in competition from a number of designs, is cup shape in form, with two handles. It measures about 20 inches in height and 14 and a half inches in diameter. The decoration, which is chiefly Celtic in character, is artistically applied. A band of Runic entwined work and circles the upper part, and is continued on the handles, whilst round the top is the wording in applied letters: ‘Presented by Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club’. On the silver octagonal base of eight panels there are representations of a Scottish curling scene, a Canadian curling scene, and also views of Edinburgh and Stirling castles. Additionally other panels show a beaver, a maple tree and a scotch fur with a thistle in the foreground. Two panels have been reserved to inscribe the winners (sic) names and the other the inscription, which coupled with the inscription that the rim of the cup reads “Presented by Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal to The Royal Caledonian Curling Club to Commemorate His Presidency of the Club and of the First Visit of a Canadian Curling Team to Scotland, January 1909”.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, it has never travelled furth of Scotland, being considered too valuable an heirloom to escape the vaults of the venerable Edinburgh jewellers, Hamilton and Inches, save for the odd local foray when the Canadians come a-calling every decade or so. It is a magnificent trophy.

The 2018 Canadian tour has split in two with half going north and the other half going south. There will be daily contact between the two tour captains each anxiously awaiting the progress of the other and together totting up the scores of the day’s play and adding them to the cumulative tour totals. Ends matter not a jot! Individual game results are immaterial, so the number of games won comes under the heading “Not a Tittle”! The competition is simple and the winner of the cup is the country that scores the higher cumulative number of shots in their matches. When I was on the tour to Canada in 2003, we had a simple philosophy in our foursome – a philosophy that we eventually got the rest of the east tour (when we visited Canada, half the tour went west and the other half east) to adopt. It went something like this: win big; lose small!

Some of this .......

Our issue was simple; the competition was hard-fought and close and the result was in doubt right up

until the last week or so, so every shot counted and “heroic” losses by ten shots or more were to be discouraged at all costs! This resulted in some odd games, none more so than when we found ourselves up against the local hot-shots – soon to go on to represent their club at the province playdowns – deep into the tour. We quickly realised that we were onto a hiding to nothing if we didn’t batten down the hatches quickly, so we were prepared to get out of jail with a three-shot beating, rather than go down big and threaten the chances of an overall victory in the competition. We took the loss on the chin and hit for home from about the third end. The opposition rink wondered what was happening!

.........and a lot of this !

All the games are played in a spirit of great conviviality and each club seemed determined to outdo its predecessors in the scale of the welcome and hospitality put on for the visitors. The 2018 Canadians have been sensible though; they have insisted on the odd “off” day, when curling can be forgotten and the whole team can enjoy a spot of extra-curricular activity. Thus, they have found time to be feted in Glasgow’s magnificent city chambers, to visit local attractions and generally to woo the locals – and not just the curlers. They have made friends wherever they have gone – another touring tradition which, I am glad to say, lives on.

Who will win? Well, the answer is really very simple. Everyone wins! Tourists get to see a new country and in some depth; they get to curl on different ice, in different venues and against different people; they make friends – sometimes for life. For the hosts, they meet new people; they wonder at the standard of the curling; they are introduced to something new and different in this great sport of ours. As to the competition itself – and here I speak only for myself – I think it right and proper that the visiting team wins the cup, but only by a small margin and that the result is in doubt until the last couple of days! It pains me a bit to say it, but – Go Canada, Go!

Robin Copland 

Finally what it means to those left behind in Canada

Strathcona Cup 2018 - An Invitation

Strathcona Cup Canadian Tour to Scotland 2018

The Canadians are coming!

In January the Canadian Strathcona Cup Team arrive in Scotland to play for the Strathcona Cup, the oldest trophy in International Curling.

It is the grandest and likely the most valuable trophy in curling. It rarely leaves the vaults. It was specially commissioned by Lord Strathcona for the first Canadian tour to Scotland in 1909. (for more info and photos go to :- strathconacup100.ca ).

As a young man of 18, Donald Smith, (later to become Lord Strathcona) set out from Forres to work for the Hudson Bay Company eventually rising to the top. He made his fortune in trading, banking and investment and was a major investor in the Canadian Pacific Railway. He is famous for hammering in the last golden spike on completion of the transcontinental railway in 1855 at Craigellachie, B.C. He became an MP in the Canadian Government and was instrumental in forming the ‘Mounties’. Latterly he was appointed as the High Commissioner for Canada to Great Britain and entered the House of Lords as Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal.

His handsome trophy is all about bringing together the Scots who developed the game and the Canadians who have made curling one of their National sports.

It is unique in that it is a tour played Nationwide over a number of weeks where curlers of both countries have the opportunity to represent their country in the spirit and camaraderie that is the essence of the game.

It all started in 1902 when the RCCC decided to accept a long standing invitation to send a team of Scottish Curlers to Canada to further the special relationship of the international curling fraternity. A team of 22 worthy Scottish Curlers were duly chosen from the four Curling Areas of Scotland. Taking their own stones with them, they set out to play in January 1903 on a 2 month tour, including ocean and rail travel, from Halifax to Winnipeg, ending in a mini tour to the USA from Minneapolis to New York.

Such was the effusive praise from the Canadians of the success of this Tour, the RCCC invited the Canadians to send a team to Scotland and that such a Tour should coincide with the year that Lord Strathcona, with his unique honourable status in both countries, was the RCCC President in 1909. The Canadians sent curlers from every Province in the country, even one from Dawson City in the Yukon who started his journey to Scotland on a sled!

The enthusiasm for this event has carried on over the years and is now played for every 5 years alternating between Scotland and Canada. Every point in every game counts and is recorded, so competition is fierce right to the last stone played by every rink. Pride is very much at stake. Scotland won on the last Tour to Canada in 2013 by 2876 shots to 2621, to even it up at 11 matches all since 1903!

The Canadians arrive at Murrayfield on 30^th January to play their final games over 4 days against teams selected to represent their Provinces so these matches may be crucial to the overall result.

Even If you are not one of the 80 Edinburgh Area curlers selected to challenge for the Cup this time, please come along to welcome the Canadians and give your support on any of the days from 30^th January to 2^nd February.

Pairs 2017/2018

Frank Ross / Katherine Golding - Athelstaneford -
High Road Winners

Dave Munro / Colin Baird - Haddington -
Low Road Winners

On keen and swinging ice, the 1st round of the Province Pairs developed into 4 very closely contested  games. The games were played over 4 ends and after the 3rd end was completed 2 games were tied on 2-2 (Yester v Aberlady and East Linton v Dirleton) whilst on the other sheets Haddington held a slim 2-1 advantage over Doocot and Athelstaneford were leading Markle by the same score. However at the end of the next end Yester, Dirleton, Athelstaneford and Doocot (after a draw shot challenge) had successfully made it through to the high road. In the high road semi finals Yester managed to outscore Dirleton and Athelstaneford accounted for Doocot whereas in the low road Haddington edged out Markle while East Linton saw off the Aberlady challenge.

Both finals proved very interesting spectacles for those upstairs watching. 

 

The low road final took place first and East Linton, skipped by Paul Neison with Emma Hood leading, took a single point at the 1st end but Haddington took the following 2 ends scoring 3 then 2 to lead 5-1 going down the 4th and last end. Although East Linton managed to score 2, the victory and the Doo'cot Trophy was won by Haddington pair Dave Munro (skip) and Colin Baird by a final result of 5-3.

 

The high road final between Yester pairing of Sandy Stewart (skip) with his faither Balfour leading and Athelstaneford team of Frank Ross (skip) and Katherine Golding proved to be a really intense event. Frank and Katherine were worthy winners last year and weren’t going to lose their grip of the trophy this year without a fight. With single shots shared over ends 1 and 3, along with a blanked 2nd end, everything came down to the crucial 4th end with Athelstaneford having last stone advantage. After the leads stones were played there were about 5 stones crowding the 4 foot circle and the counter lying shot was one of Katherine’s Athelstaneford stones. Try as he might, Yester skip Sandy just couldn’t get past well placed guards and with the same stone still in place after Yester’s last being played, the teams shook hands with Athelstaneford reclaiming the trophy for the 4th year in succession. Excellent curling and fun made for a very enjoyable pairs competition and many congratulations to both winning teams, especially Frank Ross and Katherine Golding for doing Athelstaneford proud once again.

Everyone else should be congratulated on their performances too, particularly Yester who couldn’t have done much more to wrest the trophy away from Frank and Katherine but it just wasn’t to be on this occasion.

 

Report: - D Munro

Edinburgh Area Bonspiel - Black Bull

Due to reasons that we wont go into here, East Lothian were unable to defend the Black Bull Trophy.
However a fun 'Draw Shot' Competition was added and this was dominated by one of the East Lothian Teams.  This team was made up by Morgan Nicoll (representing Aberlady) and Colin Baird, Sandy Nicoll (Haddington) John Shedden, Shelagh Main (Athelstaneford), Ian Donald (East Linton) and Ken Burchell (Doo'cot).  Sandy was also the ONLY player to 'cover the hole'
Well done and enjoy your drinks.

As far as the Main competition went, here is a short report from John Good:-

Teams from Midlothian, East Lothian and Peeblesshire Provinces, together with two from the Royal Club proved on 1 December that the Bonspiel format can bring out the best in their curlers.

On the ice they all fought their way through twelve ends, with only a short break to stack brooms, to get their hands on the Black Bull Trophy which dates back more than forty years. The winners would be the pair of teams which had the best shots up total, so getting and holding stones in was the priority for everyone from skips to leads. There was a good draw for in-behind or guard stones as well and some hold for hearty takeouts.

John Shedden took a 5 in one end which helped the East Lothian pair of teams, fellow skip Morgan Nicoll, to finish on +4 overall. 

Trevor Dodds and Lindsay Scotland skipped for Midlothian and included ends of a 5 and a 4 to come off the ice also with a +4 outcome. 

This year Peeblesshire skips Benny Masterton and Robert Robertson together won ten ends but despite each taking 3s late on, finished down the queue.

Royal Club teams, organised by Area Chairman Calder Benzies and Secretary John Good, together won 13 ends and finished +13, with just enough energy left to put the halter on the Black Bull and take it home till next year.

Thanks to everyone who played and socialised at this bonspiel, not least Royal Club Areas Standing Committee men Joe Barry and Joe Kincaid.

The teams were:

East Lothian:

J Shedden, K Burchell, S Main, Ian Donald

M Nicoll, S Nicoll, C Baird

Midlothian:

T Dodds, John Addinall, R Addinall, M McClusky

L Scotland, D Edwards, D Cunningham, I Edwards

Peeblesshire:

B Masterton, D MacKenzie, C MacKenzie, G Masterton

R Robertson, N Calvert, G Rodger, A Smellie

Royal Club:

J Barry, J Good, J Kincaid, J O’Neill

C Benzies, W Linton, P Barton, K Watson

JRG

4 Dec 2017

National Province Championships

The National Province Championships took place at Greenacres on 10-12th November 2017.
East Lothian Province was represented by Haddington, who won the ELKO last season.  Yester were also awarded a place as Runners-up.
Below is a report provided by Haddington:-
The 'Prize' for winning the East Lothian Province Knockout is the opportunity to represent the Province at the National Championships held every year at Greenacres. This year, the honour befell to our victorious team of James Pate, Dave Munro, Sandy Nicoll and Andy Aberdein.  The actual formation of the team caused many headaches with the event clashing with weddings and rugby matches, as each team is restricted to a pool of six players.  The Nicoll family stood up to the mark and the team for Saturday was, Morgan, James P, Sandy and Andy,  with Dave coming in to skip on Saturday and sister Lindsey replacing Sandy.  History does not relate who would be playing on the final day.
Our first game was against Cupar, a very strong team.  Nerves were settled taking a single in the first end and losing it again straight away in the second.  However a run of 1, 4, 2 and 1 against in ends two to five saw the end of our challenge and we went down 9 - 4 against our eventual group runners up.  Our second game of the day was against Upper Strathearn, which was a much more cautious affair.  The opposition stole a 2 in the first end and after that all the ends went on singles.  Going in to the last end we were 5 - 3 up but a tactical error saw us lose a four and the game 5 - 7.
The second day dawned with us on a played 2, lost 2 record and perhaps the strongest team in the group against us first.  Refreshing our playing pool must have helped with Dave and Lindsey joining the team.  The game was poised at 3 - 3 after 5 ends, including our first blanked end ot the championship however Angus took a, possibly decisive 3 in the fifth end.  Fighting back we scored a 2 in the seventh end and managed a steal of 2 in the final end to take a 7 - 6 win (against the eventual group winners).  Our first points were on the board and the fightback had started.  Next up, Selkirk, representing the Borders.
We were against more familiar opposition, which seemed to help.  Despite a come back with a 3 in the seventh and and a steal of 1 in the final end, Haddington had done enough to record a 10 - 7 win and leave qualification a (small) possibility.
The final group game and third game of the day,  was against Inverness.  The decisive moment was a steal of 3 in the third end which laid the foundations for a relatively easy 7 - 2 win, leaving Haddington on 3 wins and 2 losses.
Unfortunately this left us third in our group and failing to qualify by 1 point.
It should be noted that the two teams that topped our group, one of which we had beaten, both won their quarter final games and lost in the semi-final round.

Well done to our six players, who certainly did not disgrace themselves or our club.

As a final note, Yester were also taking part as a 'reserve' entry.  They also finished third in their group with three wins from five.  Yester tied with Renfrewshire on both points and ends but missed qualification on 'shots-up'

East Lothian is one of the smallest Provinces and to produce two teams that were close to qualification is a testament to our abilities.  Well done again to both Haddington and Yester teams.

Province Competitions 2017/18

The draw for all the province competitions have now taken place and can be found HERE

Summer Housekeeping

Firstly, we welcome our new secretary, Elinor Logan and say farewell to Roy Black who has done an excellent job of 'running' the Province aver the last 4 years.  You have big shoes to fill Elinor.

We also say hello to some new club secretaries and where these are known they have been added to the 'About Us' tab.  If anyone knows any additional changes, please let Graeme know.

We have also had our ice allocation for 2017/18 and the dates for our competitions has been added to the 'Fixtures and Draws' tab.  The draws will be added after the next committee meeting when the draw will be made.