The dust has settled on one of the most competitive tournaments in Quesnel sports and three lucky winners will be bragging of their victories all winter long.
The senior men’s match-play handicap tournament is a season long affair, with two separate events occurring side-by-side.
Sandy Watson defeated Ron Gobbi to clinch the Garner Brothers trophy on Sept. 19. The prize has been passed from winner-to-winner of the singles competition since 1963.
This is Watson’s second year in a row holding the trophy, meaning he hasn’t lost a game in two years.
Rick Smith, who has organized the event for the last five years, says it is difficult to pinpoint what Watson’s secret to success is.
“He’s just a competitor I guess,” Smith says.
“He’s an archer and that might help him play well under pressure. If you ask him though, he’s a little modest and will say everyone gave him the matches and he played just good enough to beat them.”
Gobbi cannot complain too much about his result this year, as he and Tony McDonald beat out Keith Boichat and Warren Heppner for the Johnston Brothers trophy.
The trophy, which was donated by Johnston Brothers motors (now Fraser River GM) has an even more storied history, having been originally handed out in 1950.
Rick Johnston and his partner James Pederson had won the prize two years in a row, but were unable to complete the trifecta.
Smith says the tournament is great for getting people involved.
“Everyone plays with different players that they don’t normally play with,” he says. “You enter, we make a draw and you play away.”
sports@quesnelobserver.com
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