Butterfield rink scores 8-ender

Al Butterfield’s rink scored an eight-ender at the High Prairie Closing Mixed Bonspiel March 14. Left-right are rink members Al Butterfield, third Maureen Butterfield, second Dean Sisler and lead Marian Porisky.

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

The rarest of all curling events occurred at the High Prairie Curling Club March 14. Al Butterfield’s rink scored an eight-ender over Rob’s Girls during the High Prairie Closing Mixed Bonspiel. His rink, which went on to win the bonspiel, was also comprised of third Maureen Butterfield, second Dean Sisler and lead Marian Porisky. Al Butterfield says he told the rink late in the second end on Sheet 1 they had a shot on making curling history. “I didn’t tell them until it was my first shot,” says Butterfield. “They didn’t see it coming until I threw my first rock.” Butterfield executed a takeout with his final stone to score eight and send everyone in the curling rink into a frenzy. “We just had to keep it clean to hit a stone in the eight-foot,” says Butterfield. Butterfield was modest in his assessment of the feat, saying Sheet 1 has been tricky ice all year. “It was a factor,” he says. “The other team was from out of town and they had a tough read.” Butterfield has submitted the team’s name into a draw sponsored by Asham Curling Supplies of Winnipeg. Each rink member gets $400 of curling supplies; however, if their team wins the grand prize they share $8,000. “There are about 150 entered each year,” says Butterfield, which gives one an indication of how rare scoring an eight-ender is. The Alberta Curling Federation awards certificates and pins to each member of any rink who accomplishes the feat during the season. The eight-ender scored by Al Butterfield’s rink capped a week of three amazing scores at the club. The B Event final in the Closing Mixed Bonspiel saw Jim Zabolotniuk and Bernie Poloz do battle. The closely-matched teams scored one point in all seven ends of the game which Zabolotniuk won 5-2. No blanked ends and no ends of more than one point which is very, very rare. Other members of Zabolotniuk’s rink included third Lisa Zabolotniuk, second Pat Monahan and lead Tammy Monahan. In the Men’s Curling Club C Event final March 18, Stan Sware defeated Brian Bliss 8-0. The oddity in this game was Sware scored points in six straight ends. Other members on Sware’s rink this night included second John Van Den Berg and lead Larry Adams.

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