Hartland Legion prepares to host Dominion 8-Ball Championships
The Covered Bridge Community will welcome top pool shooters across Canada this month as the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 24 hosts the Dominion 8-Ball Championships.
Event co-chair Carla Orser said plans are proceeding well as the branch prepares for the national tournament on May 24, 25 and 26.
She said the tournament will feature two teams from New Brunswick, plus representatives from Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia; Ontario, Manitoba/North West Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta/North West Territories and British Columbia.
Orser said the branch will welcome 40 players and three Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command representatives.
She said the visitors will stay at the Best Western Woodstock, with the branch arranging daily transportation back and forth to the Hartland Legion.
Orser, who is co-chairing the event with Bobby Allison, said the tournament’s opening ceremonies will begin Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m.
The Hartland Legion originally applied to host the Dominion 8-Ball Championship five years ago. Orser said the branch found out it would host the 2024 event last year. The Legion executive and members began preparations last November.
Hartland Branch President Gary Bovard said members are excited to host the national event.
Hartland Mayor Tracey DeMerchant praised Legion members for bringing this tournament to the town and the branch’s ongoing support of the community.
New Brunswick will have two teams vying for the Dominion title, with the provincial title holders from Fredection and the host squad from Hartland.
The host squad features the twosomes of Cecil Rideout and Allan Tompkins and Harold Buckingham and Byron Foster.
The New Brunswick champions include Floyd Paul and Plemon Mercer, William Wall and William Doherty.
The remaining teams are as follows:
Newfoundland and Labrador — Robert Hall and Dwayne Broomfield, Carl Ringer and David Locke
Prince Edward Island — Edward Arsenault and Stewart Perry, Yvon Arsenault and Rick Gallant
Nova Scotia — Bob Massia and Christopher Marsh, Bruce Lilly and Harry O’Donnell
Ontario — Mark Johnston and Darryl Doolittle, Brandon Raddatz and Colton Keuhl
Manitoba/North West Ontario — Marvin Quiamnao and Andrew Spence, Richard Urbanik and Rich Hutcheon
Saskatchewan — Richard Lee and Wayne Westbury, Ikrma Zanidean and Dennis Klyne
Alberta/North West Territories — Terry Levesque and Henry Stekelenburg, Sean Bateman and Daniel Davidson
British Columbia/Yukon — Curtis Beech and William Unwin, Murray Beech and Craig Walters.
Jim Dumville, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, River Valley Sun
