Rory Kaneski and his East St. Paul team (Dave Johannson, Dave Sesak, Richard Ervick) have won the Bob Picken Open Masters Bonspiel presented by Access Credit Union. Pending confirmation of eligibility by CurlManitoba, the Kaneski foursome also earned the first provincial championship berth won in the 2025-26 season – an entry in the Manitoba’s Credit Union Masters in Brandon in February.
The final game against Lynn Coleman and his Pembina team (Stan Struthers, John Norget, Brian DeRiviere) was controlled by the East St. Paul team. Kaneski blanked the opening end and took two on the second. Coleman’s single on the third gave Kaneski the hammer for two more on the fourth and the fifth went all bad for Coleman (all good for Kaneski!). Coleman had a difficult in-off facing three with his last stone but rolled out the back of the rings to win the game 7-1.
Each team in the final featured one player who was a former Picken Bonspiel champion. Johannson was with Bob Minaker in winning the event a year ago while DeRiviere was with Lionel Walz when he won it in 2021.
The win for Johannson makes him the first two-time winner in the six year history of the event. His undefeated win this year marks a run of 10 consecutive wins when matched with the undefeated run a year ago with the Minaker team.
In the Consolation final, Randy Neufeld and his team won the bonspiel’s Consolation division with a 6-0, 6-end win over Joe Fouasse (Fort Garry). Both the Neufeld and Fouasse teams are former Picken Open champions although Neufeld is adjusting to a new third, with Paul Armstrong replacing the now-retired Dean Moxham. This week’s lineup was Neufeld with Armstrong, Peter Nicholls and Larry Borus.
Fouasse’s lineup includes his teammate of 52 years, Real Chabbert, along with Marty Foidart and Charles Arbez.
(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
Karen Fallis and her Fort Rouge team (Maureen Bonar, Lynn Fallis-Kurz, Laurie Ellwood) are the new Manitoba Masters Women’s Champions after defeating the Judy Colwell team 7-4 this afternoon in Portage.
Team Fallis lost their opening game of the double round robin series to Colwell and never lost again – running off six consecutive wins to gain the title.
In the Men’s Championship, the 2-3 crossover games were won by Mark Franklin-Granite (over Morley Walker-Arden) and Stan Struthers-Pembina (7-2 over Mike Mahon-Granite).
Franklin and Struthers will play in the Page Playoff elimination games this evening in Portage. Murray Warren – Brandon (7W-0L) plays Randy Neufeld – La Salle (6W-1L) on the top side of the Page Playoff draw.
The winner of the Warren-Neufeld games goes to the Monday afternoon final while the loser plays the Franklin-Struthers winner Monday morning at 9AM.
MANITOBA’S CREDIT UNIONS MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS UNDERWAY: Four teams, one in the Women’s competition and only three in the Men’s championship, are unbeaten after the two-game opening day of the Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Championship in Portage.
Randy Neufeld, with sweepers Dean Moxham and Darren Oryniak
In the four team Women’s division, where the teams will play a double round-robin with playoffs, East St. Paul’s Judy Colwell team leads the way with a pair of first day victories. Skipped by Wendy Nykoluk, the leaders defeated Karen Fallis (Fort Rouge) and Deb McCreanor (La Salle) in their two victories. Fallis and McCreanor both have 1W-1L records.
In the Men’s competition, defending champion Randy Neufeld (La Salle) and the Stan Struthers (Pembina) team, with Gord MacKay throwing fourth stones, have 2W-0L records to lead the Asham Group standings board. Former champion Murray Warren (Brandon) has the only 2W-0L record in the Asham Ultra Force Group.
The 16-team Master Men’s championship features three teams from the Granite CC, two each from Brandon, Hamiota and Fort Rouge and single entries from Arden, Burntwood, East St. Paul, La Salle Miami, Stonewall, and Virden.
The teams will play seven games in their 8-team round robin pools.
Playoffs in both the Men’s and Women’s championships will wrap up Sunday afternoon.
Two other sets of provincial jackets and crests will be awarded this weekend as well. The 18-team Dynasty Mixed Doubles Championship begins Friday evening in Beausejour while the 24-team SunLife Financial Manitoba Stick Championship presented by Jim Anton gets underway Friday morning in Morris.
The final regional Masters berths were identified Wednesday – bringing to thirteen the number of competing teams identified for the provincial Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Championship in Portage.
In Beausejour, former Canadian Senior Men’s champion Carl German (East St. Paul) was a shut-out winner over Doug May (Beausejour) to win the second East region berth.
In the West region, Lawrence Daniel (Hamiota) won the second berth in Minnedosa, needing an extra end to beat clubmate Brian Tolton 7-6 and in Melita, Barry Lowes (Virden) was a 7-4 winner over Al Fitzmaurice (Brandon). As there were a total of five available berths in the West, Fitzmaurice and Tolton will playoff for the extra spot.
TEAMS QUALIFIED for Manitoba Masters Men’s Championship: Defending Champion: Randy Neufeld (La Salle) Bob Picken Bonspiel Berth: Lionel Walz (Pembina) Winnipeg Berth: Mark Franklin (Granite) Winnipeg Berth: Robin Nelson (Granite) Winnipeg Berth: Mike Mahon (Granite) Winnipeg Berth: Stan Struthers (Pembina) West-Melita Berth: Murray Warren (Brandon) West-Melita Berth: Barry Lowes (Virden) West-Minnedosa Berth: Murray Jorgenson (Hamiota) West-Minnedosa Berth: Lawrence Daniel (Hamiota) West-Playoff Berth: WINNER Tolton-Fitzmaurice East-Beausejour Berth: Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall) East-Beausejour Berth: TBD South-Winkler Berth: Allan Gitzel (Miami) North Berth: TBD in December Brandon Bonspiel Berth: TBD in January
(Nov 14) (UPDATED) WARREN AMONG SEVEN MASTERS BERTH WINNERS TUESDAY: Murray Warren’s Brandon team, bronze medalists at last fall’s Canadian Masters at Pembina, defeated Jim Renwick (Brandon) 3-2 Tuesday to earn a berth in the Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters championship later this season at Portage la Prairie.
Brandon’s Murray Warren calls the line in a Canadian Masters Championship game, November 2022 at Pembina CC
Renwick dropped to the B-Side of the draw in Melita and was beaten by Al Fitzmaurice (Brandon), who will play Barry Lowes (Virden) Wednesday for the second berth.
In Minnedosa, Murray Jorgenson (Hamiota) was a 5-4 winner over Morley Walker (Arden) to earn the first available berth. Walker, Lawrence Daniel & Brian Tolton (both Hamiota), and Butch Mouck (Minnedosa) will play Wednesday for the second berth.
In Beausejour, Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall) was an 8-2 winner over Carl German (East St. Paul) to win a provincial berth. German will play Doug May (Beausejour) for the second berth.
In Winkler, Allan Gitzel (Miami) defeated Louis Tanquay (Winkler) 7-5 to win the B-side of the playoff ands earn the provincials berth.
The three berth winners at Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge club were Robin Nelson- Granite (7-6 over Mike Mahon-Granite; Mahon (6-3 over Skuli Johnson-Granite); and Stan Struthers-Pembina (6-5 over Neil Okumura-Pembina.
(Nov 13) FORMER CHAMP FRANKLIN EARNS MASTERS BERTH: Former champion Mark Franklin and his Granite team are the first of thirty-two teams competing this week across Manitoba to earn a berth into this season’s Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters championship.
Franklin (Jamie Hay, Barrie Campbell, Greg Ziemanski) defeated another former champion skip, Gord McTavish, Monday afternoon to join the two teams already qualified for the Portage championship. Defending champion Randy Neufeld and Bob Picken Masters Berth Bonspiel winner Lionel Walz and their teams have previously qualified.
Across Manitoba, there are seven teams competing for two berths in each of Melita and Minnedosa; six teams are playing off in Beausejour for two spots; and there are three teams competing for one berth in Winkler. Nine teams started the Winnipeg regional playoff with four berths available.
Former Manitoba champion, and 2022 Canadian bronze medalist, Murray Warren and his Brandon team are in the Melita playoff. Warren will play perennial; contender Jim Renwick (Brandon) for the first Melita berth. Morley Walker (Arden) will play Murray Jorgenson (Hamiota) for the first Minnedosa berth. In Beausejour, former Canadian Senior champion Carl German (East St. Paul) will play Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall) for the first berth.
In WInkler, Joe Fouasse (Lorette) will play Allen Gitzel (Miami) in the A-side final.
At Fort Rouge, Mike Mahon (Granite) will play Robin Nelson (Granite) for the second Winnipeg berth to be awarded.
Randy Neufeld and his La Salle team (Peter Nicholls, Darren Oryniak, Dale Michie, Dean Moxham) have served notice that their time at the top of Manitoba Senior & Masters Men’s curling will continue this season.
The Neufeld team opened the season with a victory in the CJOB Championship of the Bob Picken Open Masters bonspiel at Granite. The champions defeated Lionel Walz 5-2 in the Friday afternoon final game.
Because the Neufeld team already has a provincial championship berth, as defending champion, the 2024 provincial berth available through the ‘spiel had already been won by the Walz foursome.
Neufeld defeated former Manitoba Masters champion Gord McTavish (Pembina) 9-2 in their morning semi-final. Walz defeated Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall) 5-4 in the other semi-final.
Team Neufeld joins Hogg (2019), Walz (2021), and Joe Fouasse (2022) as champions of the event established in memory of legendary CJOB Broadcaster Bob Picken. There was no 2020 event due to Covid.
In the secondary event finals, Clarence Kohut defeated Allan Gitzel, Dave Fisher beat Joe Fouasse, and Dave Johannson won over Lori Pelissier.
Manitoba’s Masters (60+) age curlers will be able to kick-off next year’s curling season with the renewal of the Bob Picken Open Masters Bonspiel which will be held at the Granite Curling Club. For the first time, this year the highest finishing eligible team will be awarded a berth in Manitoba’s Credit Union Masters provincial men’s championship.
The bonspiel will be re-branded as THE BOB PICKEN OPEN MASTERS BONSPIEL and will continue to welcome all Masters age (age 60 & over) men’s, women’s or mixed teams, including stick players/teams. To kick off the curling season, the first day will include a Welcome Luncheon to allow curlers a ‘meet and greet’ opportunity.
The future of the bonspiel was in doubt with the closing of the Thistle Curling Club, which had been the home of the ‘spiel since its inception as a tribute event in memory of legendary broadcaster Bob Picken. Thistle, of course, had originally been the Valour Road CC and Picken’s home club in his years as a competitive player and dedicated curling volunteer. After Valour Road became Thistle, he continued his volunteerism at the same venue.
Granite Curling Club was quick to step into the breach. “Bob was such a great guy and contributor to Manitoba curling. It is a privilege for Granite to become the venue for this event held in his honour,” says Granite CC Manager Jamie Hay.
The event will be held September 26-29 at the Granite CC. A maximum 28 teams will play a game a day (daytime curling), with a possible two playoff games on the final day. After 16, entries will be accepted in blocks of four in order to maintain the integrity of the bonspiel’s four team pools, one game a day, format.
CJOB, one of Bob Picken’s two (with CBC) main professional homes during his broadcast career, has re-affirmed their commitment to support of the bonspiel which will held in the fifth year since his death. It is the fourth Bob Picken-Valour Road Masters Bonspiel as one was cancelled due to covid-19.
The committee which comprises Bob Minaker, Brian Kushner, Norm Magnusson, and Resby Coutts has expanded to include Rod Palson of In-House Strategies. The committee has also renewed its commitment to the bonspiel’s support of the Bob Picken Junior Legacy Program.
“We are excited by this renewal of our event and very proud to be able to continue to celebrate the legacy of both Bob Picken and the Thistle Curling Club,” say committee co-chairs Brian Kushner and Bob Minaker. “We appreciate Granite’s support in continuing the bonspiel – fitting since Thistle and Granite were the two original Winnipeg clubs which established the Manitoba Curling Association 135 years ago.”
Since the bonspiel began, the Legacy Fund program has made grants totalling $4,500 in support of Junior Curling programs across Manitoba.
The entry fee will be $200. Entries will be accepted through the Granite CC website and Granite’s Curling I/O page. For event details and entry information go to granitecurlingclub.ca (click bonspiels) OR granite-winnipeg.curling.io/en/competitions. In the meantime, past participants and interested curlers are invited to contact Brian Kushner (204-298-5214, bkushner@mymts.net) OR Bob Minaker (204-791-3233, bdminaker@mymts.net) to enter. Especially, “new” teams who have aged-in for 2023-24 Masters competition are encouraged to consider the bonspiel as the start point for their quest of this new championship opportunity.
Eligibility for the provincial Masters Men’s championship entry will be determined by the team meeting all CurlManitoba eligibility requirements.
(CurlManitoba Release) Murray Warren’s Brandon team and Randy Neufeld’s La Salle team, reigning Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Men’s and Strathcona Trust Senior Men’s champions respectively, will play in both Manitoba championship events this season.
With last year’s Manitoba title, both earned the champion’s invitation to compete again this year. Both teams have also won qualifying berths to compete in the second event this season and will attempt to win these two titles – a feat which has never before been accomplished in the same year.
The teams captured the Canadian bronze medals in their attempts to win their national titles in recent weeks. Team Neufeld had an 11W-1L record at the Everest Canadian Seniors last week in Yarmouth Nova Scotia. Team Warren compiled a 9W-3L record at the Canadian Masters at Pembina in November.
The Warren team (brothers Murray, Terry, Reg Warren, Brian Barker & alternate Gary Barker) will play intact in the two events while the Neufeld team has one change. Neufeld’s Senior Men’s line-up (Photo: Curling Canada/Clifton Saulnier) includes Dean Moxham, Peter Nicholls and Dale Michie while his Masters berth winning team has Darren Oryniak replacing Moxham.
Four other skips will also attempt to win both championships. Butch Mouck – Minnedosa, Allan Gitzel – Altona & Miami, Mike Mahon – Granite, and Sam Antila – Burntwood (Thompson) are those four skips although, like Neufeld, none of them will play the two events with the same teams.
Regional playoffs to qualify for the provincial championships in both Senior and Masters Men’s wrapped up Wednesday, December 13. In the Masters competition, 25 teams entered regional playoffs across the province to earn 13 playoff berths while 24 teams entered Senior regionals to earn 11 playoff berths.
The parallel Masters and Senior Women’s championships are both played in open-entry formats. The entry deadline for the Senior Women’s event is February 23 while the deadline for entering the Masters Women’s is January 26.
The Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Men’s & Women’s Championship will be played in Thompson, March 8-13, 2023. The Strathcona Trust Senior Men’s and CurlManitoba Senior Women’s Championships will be played in Dauphin, March 22-27, 2023.
With Brandon Bonspiel berths yet to be awarded in both Senior Men’s and Masters Men’s Championships, the teams competing will be:
STRATHCONA TRUST SENIOR MEN’S Randy Neufeld – La Salle (Champion’s Berth) Dean North – Carman (Morden Bonspiel) Paul Scinocca – Charleswood (Granite Bonspiel) Richard Muntain – Granite (Regional Berth) Mike Mahon – Granite (Regional Berth) Cory Anderson – Thistle (Regional Berth) Neil Okumura – Pembina (Regional Berth) Dave Boehmer – Petersfield (Regional Berth) Lawrie Hogg – Stonewall (Regional Berth) Allan Gitzel – Altona (Regional Berth) Kevin Paramor – Arden/Lansdowne (Regional Berth) Butch Mouck – Minnedosa (Regional Berth) Brad Edwards – Carberry (Regional Berth) Murray Warren – Brandon (Regional Berth) Sam Antila – Burntwood (Regional Berth) TBD – Brandon Bonspiel Berth Winner
MANITOBA’S CREDIT UNIONS MASTERS MEN’S Murray Warren – Brandon (Champion’s Berth) Randy Neufeld – La Salle (Fort Rouge Bonspiel) Joe Fouasse – Fort Garry (Regional Berth) John Norget – Pembina (Regional Berth) Mike Mahon – Granite (Regional Berth) Allan Gitzel – Miami (Regional Berth) Neil Schmidt – East St. Paul (Regional Berth) Len Loewen – Riverton (Regional Berth) Butch Mouck – Minnedosa (Regional Berth) Lawrence Daniel – Hamiota (Regional Berth) Dale Brooks – Hamiota (Regional Berth) Ray Baker – Dauphin (Regional Berth) Jim Renwick – Brandon (Regional Berth) Gerry Haight – Brandon (Regional Berth) Sam Antila – Burntwood (Regional Berth) TBD – Brandon Bonspiel Berth Winner
Manitoba’s two teams both earned medals at the 2022 Canadian Masters Championship at Pembina – not the colour they wanted but still a reward for a great week of curling.
The Brandon-Melita team of Murray Warren (Brian Barker, Terry Warren, Reg Warren, Gary Barker)…with Gary Barker pinch-hitting for Reg Warren AND East St. Paul’s Judy Colwell (Wendy Nykoluk, Donna Smiley, Leslie Brown, Debbie Palson) won the Bronze and Silver medals respectively at the Canadian Masters Championships at Pembina Curling Club.
Warren won the Bronze Medal with a 7-4 winner over BC’s Wes Craig (Ron Schmidt, Tony Anslow, Victor Gamble). Warren was in control much of the way after giving up two on the opening end. Warren had a delicate split for a four on the second end but neither rock counted so the game was just tied after two. From there however, the Manitobans controlled play ad led by three coming home.
On the next sheet over, BC’s Penny Shantz defeated Colwell 8-4 in a game closer than the score suggests. It was a three on the first that was the difference. The three and a two matched with four singles to give BC a 5-4 lead after six ends. Facing three, Shantz drew for one, which she won on a measure on the seventh end, to lead by two coming home. Colwell’s last shot attempted double kill failed and gave up a steal of two more.
Shantz and her BC team (Cindy Curtain, Shirley Wong, Janet Suter) won the Gold Medal.
Al Hackner’s Northern Ontario team (Eric Harnden, Frank Morissette, Bruce Munro, Coach Arnold Asham) defeated God Bell’s Saskatchewan champions (Maurel Elrick, Rod Slatnik, Gord Fritzler) to win the men’s Gold Medal.
(Saturday, November 19, 5pm) The two Team Manitobas will play for different colour medals Sunday afternoon at Pembina Curling Club. East St. Paul’s Judy Colwell (Wendy Nykoluk, Donna Smiley, Leslie Brown) defeated Nova Scotia Saturday afternoon to advance to the gold medal game while Brandon’s Murray Warren (Brian Barker, Terry Warren, Reg Warren) lost an extra end on a last stone draw to the edge of the button by Saskatchewan skip Gord Bell.
Colwell will play BC’s Penny Shantz team while the men’s gold medal game will have Saskatchewan against Northern Ontario (Al Hackner).
Nova Scotia and the Manitoba men were both the #2 seeds in the semi-finals. The BC Women and Northern Ontario Men were the top seeds.
Colwell’s victory was decisive, winning in six ends while Warren led by two after six ends but gave up a three to trail by one coming home. Warren made a draw facing three to force the extra end.
The key in the Colwell game was the sixth end when a seemingly likely four or five ender for Nova Scotia (throwing yellow) turned into a steal of two by Manitoba for an 8-2 lead. Nova Scotia had no shot to score with the last stone which went unthrown on the seventh as the team conceded.
(Saturday, November 19, 1pm)WARREN’S MANITOBANS FINISH SECOND, ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS………..Manitoba’s Murray Warren team has finished second in the championship pool and advanced to the semi-finals of the Canadian Masters Championship at Pembina. A 5-4 win over New Brunswick on Saturday morning’s last draw set the team from Brandon (Deloraine/Medora/Melita) up for a semi-final game against Gord Bell and Team Saskatchewan.
In the other semi-final, Wes Craig and Team BC (who eliminated the Mark Franklin host team) will play Northern Ontario’s Al Hackner. Hackner had already advanced but defeated Ontario to finish in first place at 9W-1L and eliminate Ontario.
Warren’s win was another tester as they once again let slip a four point lead to sit tied 4-4 coming home with last rock. The end was going New Brunswick’s way until third Brian Barker made a light weight hit past a centre guard to bounce a frozen stone on the button. The NB stone did not leave the four foot, but was re-positioned. With his first stone a Murray Warren triple kill left Manitoba shot stone and the New Brunswick skip slid deep with his final draw.
On this occasion, Warren may have been relieved not to have to throw his final stone.
In the Women’s division, Manitoba’s Judy Colwell will play Jocelyn Nix (Nova Scotia) and Penny Shantz (BC) will play Onatrio (Jan Carwardine).
The semi finals go at 2pm with the gold and bronze medal games at 10AM Sunday.
Judy Colwell’s Team Manitoba needed an extra end Friday evening but they came away with an 8-7 victory to earn a 7W-2L record and the third place berth in the Saturday 2pm semifinals. Their opponent will be Nova Scotia who won their final game to finish at 8W-1L
The other semifinal will feature BC against Ontario. BC also finished 8W-1L but earned the first place nod thanks to a preliminary round win over Nova Scotia. Ontario finished at 6W-3L, tied with Alberta but advanced to the playoff due to an earlier win over Alberta.
The Manitoba-Ontario game appeared to be in control for Manitoba, up 3 coming home. A pair of Ontario draws behind a corner guard set up a score of three and a tie. Facing two, Manitoba’s last shot on the extra end contacted the shot stone and rolled away but the moving Ontario stone rubbed the second shot stone just enough to move it and leave a Manitoba stone biting the button for the single point and victory.
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