by Giselle Lussier
GAZETTE STAFF
Don Barr didn’t begin curling until he was 16, but he caught on to the roaring game fast and by the time he was 19 years old, he was throwing rocks down the ice at the Manitoba Provincial Curling Championship known then as the Tankard. Sixty-five years later, Don is still pointing a broom in the rings; however, this time it was as part of the Manitoba Provincial Championship’s 100th Anniversary celebration.
Another sentimental aspect of this year’s championship was that Don’s youngest son, Ed, skipped his own rink and won their first game against Riley Smith in what was called one of the bonspiel’s biggest upsets.
“I was so proud to be a part of this amazing celebration of 100 Years of Champions. I was so happy for dad, proud of what he and his team accomplished,” shared Ed adding that the sound of the bag pipes, the line up of champions, the incredible electricity in the air during the the ceremonies is something he will never forget.
Seated at Don’s dining room table, we flipped through the pages of a massive scrapbook, each page featuring newspaper clippings, photographs, and articles chronicling six decades of the sport; not only the wins but the losses as well.
While the scrapbook tells the story of Don’s curling years, it doesn’t hold the entire story – many precious moments weren’t captured in a newspaper, but they remain vivid in Don’s memory.
“Our rink of myself, Brian and Laurie Johnson and Gerald Rutherford won 22 out of 23 games over 2 years at the Wawanesa Bonspiel; we were just kids from Stockton then,” he chuckles. “Gerald and I began curling a lot with Henry Thornborough and Earl Malyon once Glenboro put their ice in and we attended a lot of bonspiels,” he reminisced adding that there were quite a few winters that he got in 100 games.
Don and his late wife, Ruth, also curled in a mixed league, qualifying for the Provincial Mixed Seniors Championships for 13 consecutive years. They won in Gimli and later placed second to Lethbridge at the 2003 Canadian Championship.
When asked about the pinnacle of his curling career, Don found it difficult to choose between two standout moments. One was winning the Manitoba Tankard in 1974, skipping a rink with Dan Hyrich at third, Jack Fraser at second, and Jim Thornborough throwing lead stones. The other was playing second for Doug Armour and capturing both the provincial and Canadian Masters Championship titles. The Canadians Masters were also inducted into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame in 2005.
A few minutes after answering, he added thoughtfully that he was presented with the All Star Award for best 2nd during the Canadian Masters Championship, “I was pretty shocked with the award and am still honoured by it,” he said quietly.
Reflecting on his participation in Curl Manitoba’s Reunion of Champions, Don Barr smiled warmly, recalling the joy of reconnecting with many from past years and games. While the game itself is competitive and serious on the ice, the curlers, though rivals during play, share a deep love for the sport and a strong sense of camaraderie off the ice.
As the Manitoba curling community celebrates a century of champions, Don Barr’s enduring passion and dedication to the sport stand as a testament to the rich history and enduring spirit of curling in the province.
