the annual match, inter-club curling
With the opening of Falkirk Ice Rink it was now possible to have matches against other clubs on a yearly basis and it helped make even better existing relationships with your neighbours as you shared the same rink and more frequently, shared the same players as well. These were reinforced with attendance at each other’s annual dinner where the trophies for these matches were often presented. So although there was a trophy or a medal to play for, it was also a celebration of the relationship which made it important and the club was to develop a number of these over the years, some of which are still celebrated today.
From friendship and frequent visits to the Crossmyloof Ice Rink there developed a match with that Ice Rink’s curling club. The Presidents' Cup or the Cairns/Elder Cup was first organised by the two friends who were also Presidents, John Cairns of Sauchie and Bannockburn and Fred Elder of Crossmyloof. What started off as a single match in 1949 at Crossmyloof with the club being treated to a meal and drink afterwards by their hosts became an annual match between the two clubs alternating annually between ice rinks, with the hosts treating the visitors to food and refreshment for having made the journey.
D.D. Paterson was an occasional for Sauchie and Bannockburn, but a member of Denny Leslie Park and frequently attended the curling suppers and outings held by the club, being a very entertaining speaker with a wide range of interesting stories as well as a good and enthusiastic curler. He pledged a medal he had won at a Points game and from 1940 to 1971 it was played for annually between Sauchie and Bannockburn and Denny Leslie Park. The latter only won it eight times over the period. There were usually four rinks a side and for three years it was played at Crossmyloof Ice Rink in Glasgow, both sides travelling in the same bus to the match. Because of the distance and the time it took, a break for tea from 8:30 to 9:00pm was greatly appreciated. The scores were read out in the bus coming home and the medal presented to the winner as well.
The club lost the medal in 1953, the minutes citing a Farmers Union Dinner being held the same evening of robbing the club of many regular members.
Denny Leslie Park won the medal in 1963, then forgot to bring it the next year, so had to simply congratulate the winners and to accept the medal when it arrived.
Sauchie and Bannockburn did not forget the following year and they were presented with it once more at the ice rink.
It was only in 1970 that two rinks played reflecting the drop in fortunes of the Denny club before it disappeared.
Having won the last outdoor Polmaise Trophy match against Borestone, the club took over almost completely on indoor ice winning from 1950 to 1960 and then from 1962 to 1975. After that it became a more even contest between the two clubs as Borestone had amalgamated with Stirling in 1954 leaving only two clubs in the annual competition.
On several occasions during the first winning run the President of Borestone and Stirling was not present to hand over the trophy, the club simply retaining possession.
In 1961, the clubs actually finished peels at 41 shots each. It was then decided the two Presidents play another head and Borestone and Stirling won by one shot. So for the first and only time he would do so, the club’s President, Mr John Brisbane personally handed over the trophy to Mr R. Marshall, President of Borestone and Stirling.
This competition continues to this day and is as keenly contested as ever.
At the 1949 AGM the Secretary read a letter from Denny C.C. Secretary regarding a new competition request. David Robertson Senior, one of their old and esteemed members had presented a cup to be played for among neighbouring clubs annually. It was to be a knockout competition with 4 rinks a side made up of regular members. The winning club would hold the trophy for one year. The clubs would meet in rotation. The first draw was Bonnybridge v Sauchie & Bannockburn, Denny Leslie Park v Denny. It was agreed to take part and a letter of thanks returned to the Denny Secretary.
The first game against Bonnybridge was over two days as ice could not be obtained for 4 rinks on a single night. The club won the match overall, winning the first game in October 1949 by 18 shots, losing the second game by 14 shots, being 4 shots to the good. The club met Denny in the final on the 13th April 1950 and won the trophy by 14 shots. Mr David Robertson attended the final and the trophy was handed over by Mr W. Shanks on behalf of the Denny C.C. at the ice rink.
The club then lost to Denny Leslie Park in the first match the following season, but in 1952 regained the trophy by beating their former conquerors Denny Leslie Park by 22 shots. Denny denied the club the trophy for two more years. In 1956, Laurieston and Zetland replaced Bonnybridge in the tournament and stopped the club in 1959 from progressing, but thereafter a successful winning streak saw the trophy won five times in a row, before Denny once more stopped the run.
In 1969 Bonnybridge made a brief return in place of Denny Leslie Park only to be replaced themselves by Larbert in the 1970s.
The club enjoyed another five year spell of consecutive wins between 1981 and 1985 before the competition ended.
The club was invited to join the Alex Reid Memorial Trophy event to keep the club numbers involved at eight.
Since the closure of Falkirk Ice Rink some of these competitions have continued and new ones established. The Swanswater Trophy, a match against Torbrex CC, was established, the latest to involve the club as a celebration of a joint member between the two clubs.
From friendship and frequent visits to the Crossmyloof Ice Rink there developed a match with that Ice Rink’s curling club. The Presidents' Cup or the Cairns/Elder Cup was first organised by the two friends who were also Presidents, John Cairns of Sauchie and Bannockburn and Fred Elder of Crossmyloof. What started off as a single match in 1949 at Crossmyloof with the club being treated to a meal and drink afterwards by their hosts became an annual match between the two clubs alternating annually between ice rinks, with the hosts treating the visitors to food and refreshment for having made the journey.
D.D. Paterson was an occasional for Sauchie and Bannockburn, but a member of Denny Leslie Park and frequently attended the curling suppers and outings held by the club, being a very entertaining speaker with a wide range of interesting stories as well as a good and enthusiastic curler. He pledged a medal he had won at a Points game and from 1940 to 1971 it was played for annually between Sauchie and Bannockburn and Denny Leslie Park. The latter only won it eight times over the period. There were usually four rinks a side and for three years it was played at Crossmyloof Ice Rink in Glasgow, both sides travelling in the same bus to the match. Because of the distance and the time it took, a break for tea from 8:30 to 9:00pm was greatly appreciated. The scores were read out in the bus coming home and the medal presented to the winner as well.
The club lost the medal in 1953, the minutes citing a Farmers Union Dinner being held the same evening of robbing the club of many regular members.
Denny Leslie Park won the medal in 1963, then forgot to bring it the next year, so had to simply congratulate the winners and to accept the medal when it arrived.
Sauchie and Bannockburn did not forget the following year and they were presented with it once more at the ice rink.
It was only in 1970 that two rinks played reflecting the drop in fortunes of the Denny club before it disappeared.
Having won the last outdoor Polmaise Trophy match against Borestone, the club took over almost completely on indoor ice winning from 1950 to 1960 and then from 1962 to 1975. After that it became a more even contest between the two clubs as Borestone had amalgamated with Stirling in 1954 leaving only two clubs in the annual competition.
On several occasions during the first winning run the President of Borestone and Stirling was not present to hand over the trophy, the club simply retaining possession.
In 1961, the clubs actually finished peels at 41 shots each. It was then decided the two Presidents play another head and Borestone and Stirling won by one shot. So for the first and only time he would do so, the club’s President, Mr John Brisbane personally handed over the trophy to Mr R. Marshall, President of Borestone and Stirling.
This competition continues to this day and is as keenly contested as ever.
At the 1949 AGM the Secretary read a letter from Denny C.C. Secretary regarding a new competition request. David Robertson Senior, one of their old and esteemed members had presented a cup to be played for among neighbouring clubs annually. It was to be a knockout competition with 4 rinks a side made up of regular members. The winning club would hold the trophy for one year. The clubs would meet in rotation. The first draw was Bonnybridge v Sauchie & Bannockburn, Denny Leslie Park v Denny. It was agreed to take part and a letter of thanks returned to the Denny Secretary.
The first game against Bonnybridge was over two days as ice could not be obtained for 4 rinks on a single night. The club won the match overall, winning the first game in October 1949 by 18 shots, losing the second game by 14 shots, being 4 shots to the good. The club met Denny in the final on the 13th April 1950 and won the trophy by 14 shots. Mr David Robertson attended the final and the trophy was handed over by Mr W. Shanks on behalf of the Denny C.C. at the ice rink.
The club then lost to Denny Leslie Park in the first match the following season, but in 1952 regained the trophy by beating their former conquerors Denny Leslie Park by 22 shots. Denny denied the club the trophy for two more years. In 1956, Laurieston and Zetland replaced Bonnybridge in the tournament and stopped the club in 1959 from progressing, but thereafter a successful winning streak saw the trophy won five times in a row, before Denny once more stopped the run.
In 1969 Bonnybridge made a brief return in place of Denny Leslie Park only to be replaced themselves by Larbert in the 1970s.
The club enjoyed another five year spell of consecutive wins between 1981 and 1985 before the competition ended.
The club was invited to join the Alex Reid Memorial Trophy event to keep the club numbers involved at eight.
Since the closure of Falkirk Ice Rink some of these competitions have continued and new ones established. The Swanswater Trophy, a match against Torbrex CC, was established, the latest to involve the club as a celebration of a joint member between the two clubs.