There was a lot of activity at the Bashaw Agricultural grounds for the 15th Bunnock Tournament hosted by the Bashaw Curling Club.
With a full roster of 72 teams (four people per team) competing, there were hundreds of people who took part vying for top spot, while also having a great time with family. Co-organizer Erin Elder said this is the third time the curling club has hosted the event, which has proven to be a major fundraiser for the group.
Bunnock, or the game of bones, has a strong following of teams who travel around playing the game, explained Elder. Bashaw’s event has become a popular one with attendance filling up relatively quickly.
“The nice thing about bunnock is you can be young, you can be old. Any age can play it and so there’s teams with grandparents and their grandkids,” said Elder.
Bashaw’s event also includes a payout for the winning teams and there’s much build up of excitement before the two-day weekend event.
“We pay $7,000 cash out,” stated Elder.
“I think it’s great to see the community of Bashaw grow for the weekend,” she added.
The excitement is large enough that the majority of teams that take part are not from around Bashaw. Elder said about three of the 72 teams that compete could be considered from Bashaw.
She added that the tournament has been going on long enough that kids have grown up watching the game and now they play it with family.
Bashaw community groups also took advantage of the large number of people who came to town. The Bashaw Legion hosted a farmer’s market and the Bashaw Elks hosted a fun breakfast on the Sunday morning.
For more information on bunnock games and rules check out www.bunnock.com.
