Whether it’s a chicken hat, moose hat, or multi-coloured wigs, fans at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts have been demonstrating just how much they love their teams or curling in general.
Nice to moose you
Thunder Bay, Ont., is 1,358 kilometres away from Moose Jaw, but one thing they both share is a love of moose.
Curling fan Tom Miharija and his wife Mary travelled to the Scotties to cheer on their daughter, Ashley Sippala, who plays second on Team Northern Ontario. This was the first time they had been to Moose Jaw, but Tom didn’t look out of place: on his head sat a toque with floppy moose antlers.
“Our girls (and) the parents of Northern Ontario went for supper one day and somebody bought us all apple-spiced shooters. It was really nice of them,” he said.
Tom’s headwear has also attracted attention while walking through Mosaic Place. On one occasion a little boy saw the toque and pointed it out to his mother, who remarked that it was obviously a “Moose Jaw hat.” He found it funny but didn’t attempt to correct the woman.
The Miharijas are staying at the Quality Inn and Suites Hotel, so they see Mac the Moose every day. Both of them remarked that it is a nice-looking statue.
Curling is a great game and they both love it, said Tom. It was Mary who encouraged Ashley to start playing since she had high regard for the sport. For Tom, he thought the bagpipes that introduced the curlers got the adrenaline pumping.
“You’re just so proud and happy to be a Canadian or even representing the province. It’s a lifetime dream for whoever’s here,” he added.
The Miharijas have attended four Scotties over the years. They had only been in Moose Jaw briefly when the Express spoke to them and hadn’t been downtown. However, they both noted the tournament was well run and Mosaic Place is an amazing building.
Returning to the roost
Nipawin native Delores (Dee) Hopley and her husband attend every provincial curling event they can. Since her husband was recovering from surgery, it was just her at the Scotties this year. Both are originally from Moose Jaw but moved north about 15 years ago.
She felt wonderful about returning, she said, since she attended Mass at her former church, saw old friends, and met some of her daughter’s former kindergarten classmates who are now all adults.
Normally Hopley attends curling events as a fan, but this year she decided to volunteer as well. She joked that volunteering expands her budget a little further.
“I have done a few different areas (but) I like the lounges,” she said. “(I’m) getting to meet all the new people and there’s no stress. We’re behind the scenes. Apparently, we’re very popular at 7 a.m. when the coffee arrives … I get to find that out (soon).”
Hopley thought holding the Scotties at Mosaic Place was a good choice since the building is a great venue. With a laugh, she noted that parking had improved since 2015. She was fine with paying $150 for parking since she knew she wouldn’t receive a parking ticket.
Two pieces of clothing have helped Hopley stand out. One is a toque similar to Miharija’s, except hers is of a chicken. She wears it to make people smile and engage people in conversation — of which she has had many.
A second piece was a yellow sweater with the Nunavut logo on the front. Hopley explained she listens to a podcast by team skip Lori Eddy that is hilarious. When Hopley learned during a podcast that Eddy had been selected to skip the team, she decided to support the team.
The last time Eddy was at a Scotties was around 1997 when she played Saskatchewan’s Sandra Schmirler.
“She’s got this team and they’re just so starry-eyed,” added Hopley. “It’s wonderful to watch.”
The beard and the wig
Yorkton’s Hans Madsen is hard to miss: if one of his 700 colourful wigs doesn’t catch your eye, then perhaps his painted beard with curling-inspired designs will.
The curling superfan noted he and his wife enjoy the sport immensely. They enjoy meeting people and find the sport thrilling. His goal is to make fans and players smile when they see his outfits, which can also be good conversation starters. He will spend about $400 during the 11-day tournament painting his beard and face each day.
“It adds up, but … it’s worth it,” he said.
Madsen is one of the most recognizable curling fans in Canada. Fans and players alike come to him for photos, autographs or simply to talk. He has watched some of the best female curlers compete since they were young, such as Jennifer Jones, Chelsea Carey and Rachel Homan.
While he doesn’t have one favourite team, he wears outfits and paints his beard to support teams if they ask. For example, he painted his beard with Quebec’s fleur de lis, while he also drew a husky to support Team Yukon.
The Madsens had a busy few weeks. They were in Melville recently to watch both the men’s and women’s provincial championships. They drove to Rivers, Man., for one day to watch that province’s women’s provincial championship before driving back. He volunteered with the Grand Slam tournament in Yorkton, and while he attempted to do the same in Moose Jaw, was turned down since there were already enough helpers.
“It’s fun to be here and see this stuff,” he remarked.
Over the decades, the Madsens have racked up thousands of kilometres attending women’s curling tournaments in North America and across the world. This year they attended nearly all the Grand Slam tournaments in Canada. The next tournament after the Scotties is the women’s world championship in Prince George, British Columbia from March 14 to 22. The final tournament of the season for the Madsens will be Okotoks, Alta.
“It costs a lot of money to attend this stuff … ,” he added. “But it’s what we enjoy. It’s worth it all the way through.”
