Local connections part of 2016 Curling Hall of Fame

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Published on Friday, February 26, 2016

By Kira Paterson

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

The Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame and Museum (MCHFM) has announced its hall of fame inductees for this year. Three of the individuals lived, worked and curled in the Neepawa area for a number of years. 

Don Montgomery will be honoured as an inductee, along with his Franklin junior team that included Reg Freeman, Doug Kitson and Keith Sinclair. Montgomery’s team from Franklin, MB won the Manitoba School Boys and Canadian Junior Championship in 1947. The four boys were just 15 years old at the time. Kelly Robertson, a local resident who has been involved in Neepawa curling for many years and had been a neighbour of Montgomery’s, said 15 years old “would be awfully young” for that age group. That year was the first of both the Manitoba School Boys and Canadian Junior championships. Robertson said that winning those titles so young would have been quite a feat. Montgomery lived in Franklin his whole life and his wife, Dona and two daughters live in the Neepawa area currently. 

Karen Dunbar (Anderson) of Souris has had many achievements in the curling world. She won the Manitoba Lassie Championship, which is now the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts, in 1975 and in 1976. At that time, she was lead on Joan Mogt’s team. She has also won Manitoba Senior Women’s title as lead for Joyce MacDougall’s team three times, along with Manitoba and Canadian Masters Women’s championships twice and the Manitoba Championship once. 

Dunbar lived and taught school in Neepawa for many years. She was a part of the Neepawa Curling Club during that time, as well. Robertson said that the first time the Scotties (back then Lassie Championship) was held in Neepawa was in 1976, when Dunbar was a part of the winning team. 

Ron Westcott of Fort Rouge also has an impressive curling record. He has competed in Men’s, Senior Men’s, Masters Men’s and Mixed Manitoba Championships a total of 42 times. He skipped his own a team that won a Manitoba Senior Men’s title, four Manitoba Masters titles and a Canadian Masters title. He was also the replacement skip on a team that won silver in the World Seniors Championship in 2002. Like Dunbar, Robertson said Westcott was also a teacher in Neepawa for a number of years. And he also curled with the Neepawa club while he lived here. Competitively, he played on teams with players from across Manitoba. His Fort Rouge teammate, Bob Boughey, is also on the list of inductees this year. 

Robertson said that all three of these curlers are very much deserving of recognition. He said they were all great players and that it’s very neat to see some local people getting inducted. The induction banquet will be held May 1 at Canad Inns - Polo Park in Winnipeg.