Curling, The Roaring Game

The old Scottish game of curling has been played on the natural ponds and miners’ dams of the Maniototo ever since the Scottish and Irish immigrants arrived to live and work on the land in the mid 1800s. This long history of curling makes it one of the oldest sporting activities in New Zealand.

The Annual Bonspiel was held at places like Naseby, Oturehua and St Bathans, but with the formation of the Idaburn dam in 1932, the competition has subsequently always been held there …. ice permitting. The traditions and etiquette of curling are an important part of the folklore of Central Otago. The Curler’s Court, where new players are inducted into the curling brotherhood in a secret ceremony after the Annual Bonspiel, and the Beef and Greens for dinner after the competition, will ensure that the traditions and mystique of the game will continue into the future.

There is only one place in the world today where the traditional ‘crampit’ style of curling is played on the outdoor ice and the Olympic ‘hack’ style of curling played on an indoor rink. This is at Naseby, just down the road from The Old Doctor’s Residence.

The Maniototo Curling International rink at Naseby was opened in July 2005 and is the only Olympic size curling rink in the southern hemisphere. It’s where our Olympic curlers trained before travelling to the Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy in February 2006.

The rink is open all year round, so you must have a go. It’s great fun! To make sure you don’t miss out on a game let us book a time for you now. It’s a great experience and something not to be missed when you visit Naseby. Then afterwards, you can be served drinks and the traditional Beef and Greens for dinner at The Old Doctor’s Residence.

For more information contact
Maniototo Curling International Inc
Email     info@curling.co.nz
Websitewww.curling.co.nz