Mike Riley had a passion for curling, but it never fully consumed him. Mike reached his greatest success when he found balance in pursuing business and travel along with his curling aspirations. As a high school curler, Mike remembers anticipating Christmas more for the Winnipeg Junior Bonspiel than the presents under the tree. As a young skip, he recalls testing his mettle against the legendary Don Duguid rink in the early 70s, and gaining confidence from the experience. Don's teammates Rod Hun...
Jan 09, 2017•55 min•Ep. 10
Ed Lukowich has been there in Curling. "Fast" Eddy has been central to some of the greatest shifts in the history of the game. He learned to curl in Speers, Saskatchewan, back while the sliding rules were being shaped. Four decades later he won the Moncton 100, the no-hit bonspiel that ushered in the Free Guard Zone era. From the Richardsons to Kevin Martin, he's battled Legends from every living generation. In 1973, with a chance to join a young Paul Savage, Ed may have been one of the first pl...
Jan 02, 2017•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 9
In Part 2 of my conversation with Warren Hansen, we'll dive deep into the Winter Olympics. Warren will share how curling came to be a demonstration sport in 1988 and the efforts involved to secure status as a full medal event in 1998. You might be surprised to hear how it was nearly dropped, because of a Canadian, and may have been saved by a Japanese billionaire. Warren will also address the controversy surrounding the Curling Trials for those Calgary Olympics and the clash with Ed Werenich. He...
Dec 29, 2016•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 8
Warren Hansen loves curling. Growing up in Namao, Alberta, it was a passion rivaled only by football. Warren played and coached for several years with the Edmonton Huskies of the Canadian Junior Football league, but eventually curling took centre stage. It became more than just a seasonal endeavour as a player, it became a path for his life's purpose. From Brier winner with Hector Gervais, to coaching, event management, media relations and Olympic training and development, Warren has covered it ...
Dec 26, 2016•57 min•Ep. 7
Errol Klinck, better known as "Colonel", started curling in Regina with his father. His grandfather, Ozzie Barkwell, skipped the team representing Western Canada at the first Brier, held in Toronto in 1927. After moving to Winnipeg, Colonel landed a sparing role, filling in for Bryan Wood and helping the Duguid rink capture the Birks Trophy (Main Event) in the 1971 MCA Bonspiel. Errol would skip his own team to the same title in 1974, winning a berth into the provincial Tankard and the Calcutta ...
Dec 19, 2016•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 6
Neil Houston is now an Event Manager for Curling Canada. He has been instrumental in bringing the Brier to large NHL arenas and showcasing curling at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Over forty years ago, he teamed with second Glen Jackson, lead Kelly Stearne and skip Paul Gowsell to form perhaps the greatest junior team in history. The Gowsell squad stormed through the Canadian and World Juniors, while combating mens teams on the cashpiel circuit...and winning. To the older crew cut players of that...
Dec 12, 2016•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 5
Ernie Richardson still lives in Saskatchewan, a province he represented at the Brier 5 times. In 1959, Ernie and his family rink of brother Garnet "Sam" Richardson and cousins Arnold and Wes Richardson won their first Canadian Championship. They were swiftly flown overseas to compete as Team Canada in the first ever World Championship (originally known as the Scotch Cup) against Willie Young of Scotland. The Richardsons repeated as Brier champions in 1960 and '62. Wes departed due to back troubl...
Dec 05, 2016•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 4
Art Lobel was born near Virden, Manitoba, then started curling as a teenager in Winnipeg...except he wasn't very good. He was actually more skilled at target shooting. Eventually Art made his way to Quebec and his curling improved. Quite a bit in fact. Art qualified for the Canadian Mixed, then appeared in 5 Briers for Quebec, first with Bill Kent (originally from Virden) and later with Jim Ursel, who hailed from the same Winnipeg high school Art had attended. Along with their front end of Don A...
Nov 27, 2016•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 3
Terry Braunstein has the unique distinction of a rule being named after him. Until recently (2015), the "Braunstein Rule" prohibited junior teams of high school ages from competing in mens and womens Tankard playdowns. Terry, along with brother Ron, Ray Turnbull and Jack Van Hellemond surprised the Manitoba and Canadian curling elite by qualifying for the Brier and then making it into a final game playoff against Matt Baldwin in 1958. In 1965 Terry would return with Ron, Ray and Don Duguid as vi...
Nov 21, 2016•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 2
Pat Ryan grew up curling in Winnipeg, where he perfected his tuck slide delivery, but found his greatest success in Alberta. Following his heartbreaking loss to Al Hackner in the 1985 Brier, Pat would go on to build a team with Randy Ferbey, Don Walchuk and Don McKenzie. The "Ryan Express" won back-to-back Briers in 1988 and '89 with advanced hitting abilities that transformed the game and helped lead to the adoption of the free guard zone in the 1990s. After moving to British Columbia, Pat join...
Nov 14, 2016•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 1
