Page 9 - Brandon Sun - Tim Hortons - Brier 2019

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019 • BRIER’S BACK IN BRANDON • THE BRANDON SUN 9
Westmanites have made their mark at Brier

BY THOMAS FRIESEN
The Tim Hortons Brier is back
in Brandon for the first time in
37 years, but Westman products
have donned the Buffalo a
handful of times since then.
Most recently, it was Rob
Fowler’s team, which has a tie
to this year’s Team Manitoba in
second Derek Samagalski.
Fowler earned his fourth trip to
the Brier in 2012, though it was
his first as a skip. He played
with Jeff Stoughton out of the
Charleswood Curling Club in
Winnipeg for the first three,
and needed all of that experi-
ence to get there on his own. Of Brandonite Rob Fowler, left, skipped a team that included Allan Lyburn at third to a
course, that meant beating his bronze medal at the 2012 Brier. It was the only trip to the men’s national championship
old buddy. for Lyburn and fourth for Fowler, but his only one as a skip. (The Canadian Press)
“It was a pretty cool Saturday
night in Dauphin,” Fowler said Lyburn, as well the team’s alter- curlers that there is today. I’m
of 3-vs.-4 Page playoff game at nate and Lyburn’s brother, more proud about that, and the
the provincial championship. William — who finished sec- fact that I got to go and benefit
“The one thing we had to do in ond at this year’s men’s provin- from that later on.
that situation was remember cials in Virden. “The fact that the curlers are
there’s still two more games. We Both Lyburns could have had actually getting paid for going
had to focus as a team on what more chances, and great ones there to curl puts a smile on
was still left, and previous ex- in the early 2000s. However, your face. To compete with
perience as a team allowed us they opted to join the boycott other sports, there has to be
to do that.” of provincial championships, money involved, otherwise
Fowler had a pair of Brier you don’t want to get lost in, gasps. It’s more surreal.” along with Vic Peters, you’re going to lose the best
rookies on his team in third but you want to enjoy it.” Fowler dropped that game to Stoughton, Kerry Burtnyk, Al- curlers.”
Allan Lyburn and Samagalski, Fowler turns the credit back eventual champion Glenn berta’s Kevin Martin and a Lyburn walked away from
who went on to be the event’s to the rookies. Howard, and lost the semifinal handful of other top teams. the game three years later, with
first-team all-star lead, while it “The first couple of days, to Alberta’s Kevin Koe to end his They started the Grand nothing but fond memories of
was Richard Daneault’s second Allan and Derek settled right in run at the title. He still had a lot Slams of Curling. It was an ef- his part in the Brier.
trip. and played great right from the to play for against Koe’s fort to bring more money into “I’ve played in front of people
Lyburn says Fowler’s experi- start. It took me as a first-time brother, Jamie, of the North- the sport — one the provincial before, and arenas, but the fact
ence was huge for Manitoba, skip a couple of games to settle west Territories. organizations disputed. Teams that the lower bowl was just
which rebounded from a rocky down,” he said. “It really did mean a lot. who chose to compete in the about sold out most draws was
4-3 start to rattle off four con- When it came to the playoffs, Sometimes the bronze medal Grand Slams forfeited two nice,” Lyburn said. “They might
secutive wins and reach the 1- Lyburn, the Brier’s second- game gets downplayed a bit, years of provincial eligibility, not know you, they might not
vs.-2 Page playoff game. team all-star third, noticed just but for us, we were very moti- meaning they had no way to even like you, but because
“It was a great experience, how different this event is. vated to put in a good effort reach the Brier. you’re wearing Manitoba
but we weren’t as intimidated “All week it’s been four and come home with that “We were at that age where colours, they’re cheering for
as maybe some rookie teams sheets, four scoreboards on medal. with Burtnyk, Peters and Manitoba. You get some differ-
could have been, for the reason each side,” he said. “Every- “That’s memories. You’ll re- Stoughton gone, we’d be the ent people cheering for you
that we’d been on tour lots and body’s focusing on your sheet member that for the rest of one or two seed, a favourite to than you normally would.
Rob had been to quite a few,” now. Everybody’s looking at your life. It was perfect. It’d be win the championship, but we “The fact that I’d been to the
Lyburn said. “For us, it was not you, TV, it’s only the one game nice to get to another one, but gave that up because we be- Brier and had a very good
the curling, it was everything they can watch. if that was the only one I’d get lieved in what we were doing,” showing made it a lot easier to
going on around because it’s “People in the crowds are all to, that was great.” Lyburn said. “If it hadn’t been say goodbye to the competitive
different than anything you’ve focused on your game. … It That bronze medal was more for that, there wouldn’t have side of curling. No regrets.”
been to. It’s the sideshow that goes from nothing, to cheers, to than a decade in the making for been the money going to the » See ‘Fowler’ — Page 10

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