Ponoka and area ladies let go of their inhibitions and came out to curl with their guns a-blazing and guitars strapped across their backs, as their hillbilly personalities took over.
This year’s ladies’ bonspiel, which ran March 1 and 2, boasted the theme I Live West of the 5th.
Organizer Joanne Seefried says the bonspiel always has a lot of ladies dressing up to participate.
“You always try to come up with something the girls can participate in, that doesn’t cost $100, something they can throw together.”
The woman were judged on their costumes, and to persuade the judges on who deserved the prize a little fake bull castrating, backwoods jokes and raunchy songs were thrown around the room.
“We have a saying . . . at night, what happens at the ladies’ bonspiel stays at the ladies bonspiel,” said Seefried.
Seefried says men will come and watch the curling but even they aren’t brave enough to stay after supper.
However, it wasn’t all fun and games and despite the ladies’ goofy appearances they took to the ice for serious curling competition.
“I think we had a very successful weekend,” said Seefried. “We had some good, bad and ugly in curling.”
The total cash payout of the bonspiel was more than $1,100.
Bonspiel results:
First: Sharyn Pahl team - Lacombe
Second: Pam Baron team - Ponoka
Third: Mary Linnell team - Penhold
Fourth: Wendy Peavoy team - Ponoka
Hot Shot results:
First: Kristen Gordon team - Ponoka
Second: Sharyn Pahl team – Lacombe
Teams who were voted to deserve extra recognition for their participation in the themed dress contest were Team Gordon, Team MacMillan and Team Seefried.