FGCC curlers now have over an 80 year history competing in this competition. Once again this year, FGCC will compete in this challenge in late January.
In 1908 Colonel J.W. deCourey O’Grady, who was President of the Manitoba Curling Association, presented a trophy to encourage good will and promote curling matches between affiliated clubs in the Association, which at that time included clubs from North Western Ontario and parts of Saskatchewan. The official name is the O’Grady but is also affectionately known and called “The Old Buffalo”, the latter being taken from a figure of a bison standing in a defiant attitude on the trophy. This large beautiful trophy, which is still in competition today, can be seen at the Curling Hall of Fame in the Manitoba Sports Museum at the Sport for Life Centre, 145 Pacific Avenue, Winnipeg. Colonel O’Grady also served as President in 1911.
The Trophy was put into play in the Annual M.C.A. Bonspiel of 1908. Any club affiliated with the Association was eligible to enter a double rink (two teams) in the competition, the winner to be declared by the highest total number of points accumulated in a round robin competition. Two Granite teams skipped by W.P. McDougall and Dr. A.B. Alexander were the winners, defeating double teams from Glenboro, Birtle, Napinka, Dauphin and Regina, Saskatchewan Clubs.
