News Release: 2020 Inductees

Date: January 6, 2020

Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame Announces 2020 Inductees

Three of Manitoba’s elite curlers from the 1980’s-90’s, a pair of championship teams from two different eras, and two builders of curling have been announced as this year’s inductees into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame.

The induction banquet will take place Sunday, May 3 at Canada Inns Polo Park.

Two who will be recognized for their on-ice accomplishments across over two decades of competitive success are 3-time Manitoba and Brier champion teammates Vic Peters and Chris Neufeld. While both competed at the Manitoba Men’s Championship with other teams their greatest accomplishments came as teammates with Vic at skip and Chris at second. Fittingly they are inducted together into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame as CURLERS.

Also being inducted in 2020 as a CURLER is one of a short list of curlers who have won Manitoba titles in three different categories. Karen Purdy won Manitoba junior, mixed, and three Scott Tournament of Hearts championships along with a Canada Games gold medal between 1989 and 1995.

The 2020 honoured TEAMS are from two different eras. Darcy (Robertson) Kirkness’s Canadian junior women’s champion team from 1984 was the last Manitoba team to win the Canadian title before there was an opportunity to go on to a world event. The second team did experience success at the world level. The 2011 Jeff Stoughton world champion team was the most recent Manitoba men’s team to capture the world men’s title.

Innovator Ernie Oliver, who is acknowledged as the driving force behind the establishment of 2-person stick curling in Manitoba, will be inducted as a BUILDER of curling. He will be joined in the builder category by Resby Coutts, whose 50-year career as a curling volunteer led to two terms as President of CurlManitoba and a term as Chair of Curling Canada’s Board of Governors.