Tim Hortons Brier

The Tim Hortons Brier, or simply (and more commonly) the Brier, is the annual Canadian men's curling championship, sanctioned by the Canadian Curling Association (CCA). The current event name refers to its main sponsor, the Tim Hortons coffee and doughnut shop chain.

The Brier has been held since 1927, traditionally during the month of March. The winner of the Brier goes on to compete as Team Canada at the World Championships of the same year. The Brier is regarded by most curlers as the world's premier curling championship. Many Canadian teams feel it is more of a privilege to win the Brier than the World Championship. The Brier is by far the best supported curling competition in terms of paid attendance, attracting crowds far larger than even those for World Championships held in Canada.

For the first fifty years, the Brier was sponsored by Macdonald Tobacco (later RJR Tobacco Company and now part of JTI-Macdonald Corporation). The name "Brier", in fact, came from a brand of tobacco being manufactured by Macdonald at the time (a brier being a small shrub whose roots are commonly used to make tobacco pipes ).^[1] Macdonald was also responsible for introducing both the Brier Tankard (originally named the British Consols Trophy after a brand of cigarettes), and the now famous heart-shaped patches awarded to the tournament winners. The patches were modeled after a small tin heart pressed into the centre of Macdonald tobacco plugs, along with the slogan “The Heart of the Tobacco.” The same heart appeared on tins of Macdonald pipe tobacco. Later, when other national championships were developed, many took the heart as their identifying symbol as well.^[2]

Labatt became the title sponsor of the Brier in 1980, and remained so until 2000. Nokia Canada was the title sponsor from 2001 to 2004. On September 10, 2004, the CCA announced that Tim Hortons would be the new title sponsor, beginning with the 2005 Tim Hortons Brier in Edmonton, Alberta. Since that time, Monsanto has also been an important sponsor.^[3]

1 Qualification and eligibility
2 Winners
3 Most Brier wins as skip
4 Top 3 finishes table
5 Awards
6 Top Attendance Records
7 Perfect games
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
11 Further reading

Qualification and eligibility

The Brier is currently contested by 12 teams: most provinces are represented by one team while Ontario sends two teams (Ontario and Northern Ontario). The territories send one team. Teams qualify for the Brier through their respective provincial championships, which are held every year and are open to any Canadian men's curling team consisting of Canadian citizens. The formats for these championships vary from province to province but most entail a series of club, municipal, district and/or regional playdowns prior to the provincial championship.

Unlike the Canadian women's championship the defending champions do not automatically qualify for the Brier and must re-enter their provincial championship. Most provincial associations now automatically qualify their respective champions for the provincial championship, but until recently that was often not the case.

Winners

Macdonald Brier

Brier	Winning province	Winning team	Host
1927	Nova Scotia	Murray Macneill, Al MacInnes, Cliff Torey, Jim Donahoe	Toronto
1928	Manitoba	Gordon Hudson, Sam Penwarden, Ron Singbush, Bill Grant	Toronto
1929	Manitoba	Gordon Hudson, Don Rollo, Ron Singbusch, Bill Grant	Toronto
1930	Manitoba	Howard Wood, Sr., Jimmy Congalton, Victor Wood, Lionel Wood	Toronto
1931	Manitoba	Bob Gourlay, Ernie Pollard, Arnold Lockerbie, Ray Stewart	Toronto
1932	Manitoba	Jimmy Congalton, Howard Wood, Sr., Bill Noble, Harry Mawhinney	Toronto
1933	Alberta	Cliff Manahan, Harold Deeton, Harold Wolfe, Bert Ross	Toronto
1934	Manitoba	Leo Johnson, Lorne Stewart, Linc Johnson, Marno Frederickson	Toronto
1935	Ontario	Gordon Campbell, Don Campbell, Gord Coates, Duncan Campbell	Toronto
1936	Manitoba	Ken Watson, Grant Watson, Marvin MacIntyre, Charles Kerr	Toronto
1937	Alberta	Cliff Manahan, Wes Robinson, Ross Manahan, Lloyd McIntyre	Toronto
1938	Manitoba	Ab Gowanlock, Bung Cartwell, Bill McKnight, Tom McKnight	Toronto
1939	Ontario	Bert Hall, Perry Hall, Ernie Parkes, Cam Seagram	Toronto
1940	Manitoba	Howard Wood, Sr., Ernie Pollard, Howie Wood, Jr., Roy Enman	Winnipeg
1941	Alberta	Howard Palmer, Jack Lebeau, Art Gooder, Clare Webb	Toronto
1942	Manitoba	Ken Watson, Grant Watson, Charlie Scrymgeour, Jim Grant	Quebec City
1943	Cancelled due to World War II
1944	Cancelled due to World War II
1945	Cancelled due to World War II
1946	Alberta	Billy Rose, Bart Swelin, Austin Smith, George Crooks	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1947	Manitoba	Jimmy Welsh, Alex Welsh, Jack Reid, Harry Monk	Saint John, New Brunswick
1948	British Columbia	Frenchy D'Amour, Bob McGhie, Fred Wendell, Jim Mark	Calgary
1949	Manitoba	Ken Watson, Grant Watson, Lyle Dyker, Charles Read	Hamilton, Ontario
1950	Northern Ontario	Tom Ramsay, Len Williamson, Bill Weston, Billy Kenny	Vancouver
1951	Nova Scotia	Don Oyler, George Hanson, Fred Dyke, Wally Knock	Halifax, Nova Scotia
1952	Manitoba	Billy Walsh, Al Langlois, Andy McWilliams, John Watson	Winnipeg
1953	Manitoba	Ab Gowanlock, Jim Williams, Art Pollon, Russ Jackman	Sudbury, Ontario
1954	Alberta	Matt Baldwin, Glenn Gray, Pete Ferry, Jim Collins	Edmonton
1955	Saskatchewan	Garnet Campbell, Don Campbell, Glenn Campbell, Lloyd Campbell	Regina, Saskatchewan
1956	Manitoba	Billy Walsh, Al Langlois, Cy White, Andy McWilliams	Moncton, New Brunswick
1957	Alberta	Matt Baldwin, Gordon Haynes, Art Kleinmeyer, Bill Price	Kingston, Ontario
1958	Alberta	Matt Baldwin, Jack Geddes, Gordon Haynes, Bill Price	Victoria, British Columbia
1959	Saskatchewan	Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson	Quebec City
1960	Saskatchewan	Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson	Fort William, Ontario
1961	Alberta	Hec Gervais, Ron Anton, Ray Werner, Wally Ursuliak	Calgary
1962	Saskatchewan	Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Wes Richardson	Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
1963	Saskatchewan	Ernie Richardson, Arnold Richardson, Garnet Richardson, Mel Perry	Brandon, Manitoba
1964	British Columbia	Lyall Dagg, Leo Hebert, Fred Britton, Barry Naimark	Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
1965	Manitoba	Terry Braunstein, Don Duguid, Ron Braunstein, Ray Turnbull	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1966	Alberta	Ron Northcott, George Finks, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey	Halifax, Nova Scotia
1967	Ontario	Alf Phillips, Jr., John Ross, Ron Manning, Keith Reilly	Hull, Quebec
1968	Alberta	Ron Northcott, Jim Shields, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey	Kelowna, British Columbia
1969	Alberta	Ron Northcott, Dave Gerlach, Bernie Sparkes, Fred Storey	Oshawa, Ontario
1970	Manitoba	Don Duguid, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece, Bryan Wood	Winnipeg
1971	Manitoba	Don Duguid, Rod Hunter, Jim Pettapiece, Bryan Wood	Quebec City
1972	Manitoba	Orest Meleschuk, Dave Romano, John Hanesiak, Pat Hailley	St. John's, Newfoundland
1973	Saskatchewan	Harvey Mazinke, Billy Martin, George Achtymichuk, Dan Klippenstein	Edmonton
1974	Alberta	Hec Gervais, Ron Anton, Warren Hansen, Darrel Sutton	London, Ontario
1975	Northern Ontario	Bill Tetley, Rick Lang, Bill Hodgson, Peter Hnatiw	Fredericton, New Brunswick
1976	Newfoundland	Jack MacDuff, Toby McDonald, Doug Hudson, Ken Templeton	Regina, Saskatchewan
1977	Quebec	Jim Ursel, Art Lobel, Don Aitken, Brian Ross	Montreal
1978	Alberta	Ed Lukowich, Mike Chernoff, Dale Johnston, Ron Schindle	Vancouver
1979	Manitoba	Barry Fry, Bill Carey, Gordon Sparkes, Bryan Wood	Ottawa

Labatt Brier

Brier	Winning province	Winning team	Finalist province	Finalist team	Host
1980	Saskatchewan	Rick Folk, Ron Mills, Tom Wilson, Jim Wilson	Northern Ontario	Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Bob Nichol, Bruce Kennedy	Calgary
1981	Manitoba	Kerry Burtnyk, Mark Olson, Jim Spencer, Ron Kammerlock	Northern Ontario	Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Bob Nichol, Bruce Kennedy	Halifax, Nova Scotia
1982	Northern Ontario	Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Bob Nichol, Bruce Kennedy	British Columbia	Brent Giles, Greg Monkman, Al Roemer, Brad Giles	Brandon, Manitoba
1983	Ontario	Ed Werenich, Paul Savage, John Kawaja, Neil Harrison	Alberta	Ed Lukowich, Mike Chernoff, Neil Houston, Brent Syme	Sudbury, Ontario
1984	Manitoba	Michael Riley, Brian Toews, John Helston, Russ Wookey	Ontario	Ed Werenich, Paul Savage, John Kawaja, Neil Harrison	Victoria, British Columbia
1985	Northern Ontario	Al Hackner, Rick Lang, Ian Tetley, Pat Perroud	Alberta	Pat Ryan, Gord Trenchie, Don Mckenzie, Don Walchuk	Moncton, New Brunswick
1986	Alberta	Ed Lukowich, John Ferguson, Neil Houston, Brent Syme	Ontario	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Tim Belcourt, Kent Carstairs	Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
1987	Ontario	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Tim Belcourt, Kent Carstairs	British Columbia	Bernie Sparkes, Jim Armstrong, Monte Ziola, Jamie Sexton	Edmonton
1988	Alberta	Pat Ryan, Randy Ferbey, Don Walchuk, Don McKenzie	Saskatchewan	Eugene Hritzuk, Del Shaughnessy, Murray Soparlo, Don Dabrowski	Chicoutimi-Jonquière, Quebec
1989	Alberta	Pat Ryan, Randy Ferbey, Don Walchuk, Don McKenzie	British Columbia	Rick Folk, Bert Gretzinger, Rob Koffski, Doug Smith	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1990	Ontario	Ed Werenich, John Kawaja, Ian Tetley, Pat Perroud	New Brunswick	Jim Sullivan, Charlie Sullivan, Jr., Craig Burgess, Paul Power	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
1991	Alberta	Kevin Martin, Kevin Park, Dan Petryk, Don Bartlett	Saskatchewan	Randy Woytowich, Brian McCusker, Wyatt Buck, John Grundy	Hamilton, Ontario
1992	Manitoba	Vic Peters, Dan Carey, Chris Neufeld, Don Rudd	Ontario	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner	Regina, Saskatchewan
1993	Ontario	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner	British Columbia	Rick Folk, Pat Ryan, Bert Gretzinger, Gerry Richard	Ottawa
1994	British Columbia	Rick Folk, Pat Ryan, Bert Gretzinger, Gerry Richard	Ontario	Russ Howard, Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Peter Corner	Red Deer, Alberta
1995	Manitoba	Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Ryan, Rob Meakin, Keith Fenton	Saskatchewan	Brad Heidt, Mark Dacey, Wayne Charteris, Dan Ormsby	Halifax, Nova Scotia
1996	Manitoba	Jeff Stoughton, Ken Tresoor, Garry VanDenBerghe, Steve Gould	Alberta	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Shawn Broda, Don Bartlett	Kamloops, British Columbia
1997	Alberta	Kevin Martin, Don Walchuk, Rudy Ramcharan, Don Bartlett	Manitoba	Vic Peters, Dan Carey, Chris Neufeld, Scott Grant	Calgary
1998	Ontario	Wayne Middaugh, Graeme McCarrel, Ian Tetley, Scott Bailey	Quebec	Guy Hemmings, Pierre Charette, Guy Thibaudeau, Dale Ness	Winnipeg
1999	Manitoba	Jeff Stoughton, Jon Mead, Garry VanDenBerghe, Doug Armstrong	Quebec	Guy Hemmings, Pierre Charette, Guy Thibaudeau, Dale Ness	Edmonton
2000	British Columbia	Greg McAulay, Brent Pierce, Bryan Miki, Jody Sveistrup	New Brunswick	Russ Howard, Wayne Tallon, Rick Perron, Grant Odishaw	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Nokia Brier

Brier	Winning province	Winning team	Finalist province	Finalist team	Host
2001	Alberta	Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque	Manitoba	Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Ryan, Rob Meakin, Keith Fenton	Ottawa
2002	Alberta	Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque	Ontario	John Morris, Joe Frans, Craig Savill, Brent Laing	Calgary
2003	Alberta	Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque	Nova Scotia	Mark Dacey, Bruce Lohnes, Rob Harris, Andrew Gibson	Halifax, Nova Scotia
2004	Nova Scotia	Mark Dacey, Bruce Lohnes, Rob Harris, Andrew Gibson	Alberta	Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan