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Falkland Kettle 2023

The popular annual Falkland Kettle fixture was held at Dewars, Perth on the evening of Thursday 2nd March 2023.

For this fixture Falkland take all eight sheets at Perth and invite fifteen neighbouring clubs to play in the bonspiel. The winner is presented with the famous silver curling stone mounted on silver brooms which was presented to Falkland Curling Club in 1888 by Charles Gulland, then President.

In the far-off Pre Covid days players would enjoy a drink and a good catch-up with old friends and possibly make new friends. As there is no longer a functioning bar/cafe in the ice rink, the social side of this event has been much curtailed, changing the nature of the event in recent years, much to the regret of, and loss to, the participating curlers.

Participating this year at the invitation of the hosts, Falkland Curling Club were, Abdie, Pitlessie, Bishopshire, Crawford Priory, Cambo, Leuchars, Cupar, Ceres, Forret, Stratheden, Thornton, Markinch and Glenrothes Curling Clubs.

The winner was decided by 'highest up' on the day and, after a very enjoyable match in a great atmosphere this honour went to Forret CC, gaining 14 points over Fossoway to their 5 points (plus 9 shots). Craig Lindsay accepted the trophy on behalf of Forret CC from Neil Millar (see photo).

The hosts had an evening of mixed fortunes with Neil Millars rink losing to Leuchars by 9 shots to 4 and Ian Wallace's rink beating Markinch by 7 shots to 6.

Neil Millar presents the Falkland Kettle to Craig Lyndsay

The Americans visit Cupar Province

Every 10 years Scotland hosts a 3 week tour of American curlers. This should have taken place in 2022 but because of Covid it was postponed until 2023. The winner of the tour is decided on points scored during the tour.

The afternoon of Day 12 (Tuesday 17th January 2023) saw the turn of Cupar Curling Province to take on the American Tourists at Kinross Curling Rink who were well in the ascendency to date on points scored over Scotland.

The afternoon started with a very pleasent lunch with the vistors and then onto the ice to see if Cupar Province could make a dent in the American score tally.

Cupar Province put up 4 rinks against the visitors comprising:

Rink 1 - Skip - Mike Dougal (Leuchars CC), 3rd - Alan Muirhead (Stratheden CC), 2nd - John Kerr (Stratheden CC) and Lead - Charlie Anderson (Leuchars CC).
Rink 2 - Skip - Craig Lindsay (Forret CC), 3rd - Stuart Blegala (Cupar CC), 2nd - Andrew Wilson (Forret CC) and Lead - Doug Wyles (Newport CC).
Rink 3 - Skip - David Laird (Rothes CC), 3rd - Angus Stenhouse (Pitlessie CC), 2nd Ross Ainslie (Ceres CC) and Lead - Frank Gibson (Ceres CC).
Rink 4 - Skip - Neil Millar (Falkland CC), 3rd - David Roy Crawford Priory CC), 2nd - Stewart Todd (Abdie CC) and Lead - Douglas Walls (Crawford Priory CC).

It was a hard fought set of games with some starting out very tight. Eventually, however, the Americans started to prevail and finished well in the lead and worthy winners.

Following an aftermatch drink everybody retired to Loch Levens Larder where all were treated to an excellent dinner, good fellowship and entertainment from speakers and a piper. The company were delighted to be treated to several songs from the American team as they formed a choir and sang their own compositions describing their experience of the tour. Each and everyone of their own team members were mentioned during this skit and few blushes were spared! The company parted at 10 pm with promises to keep in touch.

The visitors are keeping us up to date with a blog of their own and you can find that here. The events and photographs of Day 12 are here.

We also had a photographer present most of the day and the you can link here to see them.

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