Every 10 years, the Town of Pictou welcomes teams of Scottish curlers to compete in the Strathcona Cup.
The cup is held every five years, alternating between Scotland and Canada. Canada’s year to host happens to be a big year for Pictou as it coincides with the celebration of 150 years since the town’s incorporation and 250 years since the Ship Hector arrived.
There’s no better event to kick off a year as big as 2023 than one that welcomes visitors from the country that so largely influenced our own.
Sixty Scottish curlers will make the trip to Canada. While five teams will play in the Maritimes, five teams will tour Western Canada and five will tour Ontario and Montreal.
In total, 350 games will be played between Jan. 11 and Feb. 3 at 85 curling facilities across the country, including the New Caledonian Curling Club in Pictou, Westville Curling Club and Bluenose Curling Club in New Glasgow.
“We’re very excited,” said New Caledonian Curling Club member and one that will face the Scots, Cliff Taylor. “You curl with them, sit down and listen to their stories. The game is kind of secondary to the event itself … they’re over here to win, but it’s more about the camaraderie.”
The total score for all 350 games played will determine the overall winner of the cup.
To honour the town and friends from abroad, the hog lines in the rink have been painted with the Ship Hector’s tartan, and Scottish flags have been hung around the centre of the ice.
While 2023 marks some substantial anniversaries for Pictou, it’s also the 120th anniversary of the first ever Strathcona Cup.
“The town has been very supportive,” said New Caledonian Curling Club president Joel Sellers, who is set to play in the cup.
The New Caledonian Curling Club with face the Scots at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 19. At the same time, the Westville Curling Club will face its own team of Scots. Later in the day, another match will be played at the Bluenose Curling Club at 3 p.m. The two countries will continue to share their stories, and culture, after the morning games during a reception for the teams.
The cup is a reminder of the connections the county has to Scotland. Though the first Scottish settlers arrived 250 years ago, the similarities in culture are still apparent.
The New Caledonian Curling Club is the second oldest curling club in Nova Scotia. The club’s name was issued by the Royal Caledonian Club in Scotland, where the game comes from.
“The reason curling is so strong in Canada is because of our strong Scottish history,” said Sellers. “The connection is deep.”
Sellers described the list of Scottish athletes participating as looking like a list of people from Pictou County, illustrating just how deep those similarities run. Sellers described curling as a sport based in friendship and good sportsmanship. The Strathcona Cup is a reminder of our connection to those friends.
The New Caledonian Curling Club welcomes anyone interested to pop by the rink or reach out to members of the club for more information.
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