After a successful run at provincials, a winning team of four Estevan pool players are cueing up for their chance to play at home in a national event.
For the first time ever, Estevan will be hosting the Dominion national championship later this spring, but last Saturday, the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch hosting provincials, which were won by a team with Doug Cairns, Burva Connor, Burt Blondeau and Jim Barnstable.
“Last year, it was in Sturgeon Falls (Ont.), and the last one before that was in Calgary,” said legion member Jim (Frosty) Forrest, who has participated in a few of the Dominion championships in the past. “Estevan has had teams go to the last three or four Dominion tournaments.”
On the weekend, there were a total of 84 matches between the 28 players, with each match being the best of three games. Three of the teams were from Swift Current and four were from Estevan.
“I believe this is the biggest provincials we’ve had with seven teams,” said Forrest. “We had to bring in extra tables.”
This event brought in a few tables specifically for the tournament and those tables were busy for hours with participants trying to earn a spot. During the event, there were five active tables going at the same time.
With the event, the legion branch is trying to bring in newer younger members. Volunteers for the legion branch helped the tournament run smoothly.
“We pick up membership by hosting these tournaments,” Forrest said. “People join because they do like to play pool and we do like them to be active in our organization.”
While it’s still a couple of months away, preparations are underway for the spring. There will be ten teams coming in for the Dominion tournament on the May long weekend. Last year, Forrest was joined by his son Willie Forrest, Leonard Grube and Alroy Yoner on Saskatchewan’s representatives in Calgary.
“This is a big event for the local branch and for the Legion,” Forrest said.
