(pictured l-r) East St. Paul’s Bob Minaker, with Dave Johannson throwing fourth, and supported by Ken Obirek and Glenn Saunders, won the Picken Open Masters presented by Access Credit Union Friday afternoon at the Granite.

Leading 4-3 in the sixth end, Johansson made an angle raise takeout for 4 and an 8-3 victory over Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall). The champions were unbeaten in three preliminary games and two playoff games. 

Skuli Johnson (Granite) and Clarence Kohut (East St. Paul) lost semifinal games.

Reigning provincial Masters champion Randy Neufeld won the Consolation final over Joe Fouasse (Lorette). Mark Franklin (Granite) and Pat Carson (Ft. Rouge) were the semifinalists.

In the preliminary round of play, Minaker, Hogg and Kohut had perfect 3W-0L records to qualify for the championship. Johnson had wo the fourth pool’s spot in the championship with a 2W-1L record based on their round robin win over Carson. Kohut beat Neufeld on an extra end in their final preliminary round game.

In addition to the bonspiel championship, Minaker team earns a provincial Masters berth. The Neufeld team won the Picken Open berth last year to qualify for provincials enroute to the Manitoba title.

This was the fifth Picken Open Masters Bonspiel, established in tribute to the memory of the legendary curling broadcaster and volunteer.

Past champions include both of this year’s Consolation finalists. Along with Neufeld’s win in 2023, Joe Fouasse’s Lorette team won the event in 2022, The 2021 champion was Lionel Walz while the inaugural 2019 event was won by Lawrie Hogg. There was no bonspiel in 2020 due to Covid.

Each year, the revenues from the bonspiel go into a Bob Picken Junior Legacy Fund to support junior development across Manitoba. The past four bonspiels have allowed the committee to make $6,000 in grants to junior programs across the province. This year, with the added support of Access Credit Union, the committee anticipates making as many as six $500 junior program grants. Application information will be circulated in the near future to junior program coordinators across Manitoba.

Past Bob Picken Junior Legacy grants have been presented to:

(2023) Elmwood CC Juniors
(2003) Winkler CC Juniors
(2023) Portage CC Juniors

(2022) Swan River CC Juniors
(2022) Carman CC Juniors
(2022) Westman Development League based in Virden (Juniors from various Westman & East-Sask clubs)

(2021) Bob Picken Inter-Club Youth League (AMCC, Fort Garry, LaSalle, Pembina, Elmwood)
(2021) Interlake Junior Inter-club League (Stonewall, Selkirk, East St. Paul)

(2019) Oakville CC Juniors
(2019) Thistle CC Juniors
(2019) Riverview CC juniors