Northern Exposure: Bartling leads new-look N.W.T. team at the Montana’s Brier

By Canadian Press on March 2, 2025.

KELOWNA, B.C. — Northwest Territories vice D’Arcy Delorey would often use a territorial championship banner at the three-sheet Hay River Curling Club as inspiration in the early days of his curling journey.

Shirley King, a local curler from the town of about 3,000 on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, skipped her team to victory in 1989 to earn a berth in the national women’s championship.

“I remember looking at it and thinking, ‘Man, that’s cool,'” Delorey said Sunday. “Somebody from our club could actually get to the national level.’ And now hopefully we’ll have one hanging there.

“It would be something for our junior program kids to look at and think, ‘Yeah, that’s possible.'”

Delorey, who throws third for import skip Aaron Bartling, made his Montana’s Brier debut Sunday in a 12-2 loss to Ontario’s Sam Mooibroek. Despite the lopsided score line, the players were all smiles afterward as they signed autographs and hugged friends and family who made the trip to Prospera Place.

“It’s nice to finally be here at 47 years old,” Delorey said. “To have your first Brier, you’re never too young I guess.”

Both Saskatchewan teams posted victories in the early draw as Rylan Kleiter defeated Prince Edward Island’s Tyler Smith 7-4 and Mike McEwen held off Nova Scotia’s Owen Purcell 8-6.

Kleiter won the provincial playdowns while McEwen pre-qualified for the 18-team event via ranking points. A finalist last year, McEwen has been battling a sore throat and chest congestion in recent days.

“Better the opening weekend than later on as you near playoffs and things like that,” said McEwen, who was feeling a bit better Sunday. “So if there’s a silver lining, that’s it I guess.”

Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard beat Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin 7-5 in the other early game. Two more draws were scheduled for later in the day.

Round-robin play continues through Thursday night. Qualification games will be played Friday ahead of the Page playoffs on the weekend.

Yellowknife’s Jamie Koe has played at nearly every Brier since his nationals debut in 2006. Bartling’s foursome, which includes second Norman Bassett and lead Eric Preston, upset the veteran skip last month by making late back-to-back steals for the win on home ice.

“It was just a big moment and just a flood of emotions to have that game when it mattered,” Delorey said.

The Hay River club has been like home to Delorey since a young age. Both his parents have served as president at the facility and his father handled icemaker duties.

“I was always at the club growing up even before I really started curling,” he said. “I started as a rink rat, as a junior, and just continued on.”

Delorey curled at the college level and later played on a number of different men’s teams. He has made five career appearances at the national curling club championships.

This 5,500-seat venue felt much different for his round-robin opener. The ice was quick with lots of swing, the rocks were sharp and the Brier energy was noticeable, Delorey said.

“A little bit of nerves for the first little bit,” he said. “But after that, it’s just curling when you get into the game.”

Bartling is the lone team member with Brier experience. He was an alternate for P.E.I.’s Eddie MacKenzie in 2021 when the nationals were played in a so-called bubble in Calgary due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s just through-the-roof excitement,” Bartling said of his return.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2025.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press