I was attending the 2017 World Men’s Curling Curling Championship in Edmonton. An elderly friend of mine was a diehard curling fan of the Brad Gushue team but due to health issues could no longer attend events.

I decided to try I would get an autograph for her if the opportunity arose.

Towards the end of a game I moved down to the end to see if I could get the team’s attention as they left the ice. I had secured the Brad’s autograph when I spotted Jules Owchar coming down from his perch. I called out and he came over to sign my program. Jules took my program and used his clipboard as backing to autograph the program. He passed the program back to me but unbeknownst to either of us he had handed back both the program and his CLIPBOARD with all his rock tracking information. I had turned to talk to a friend when suddenly Jules appeared looking for me and the Holy Grail of curling that he had misplaced.

He reached up and said “shame on you!” and lightly slapped my hand. I looked down and realized I had held the most valuable document of the World Mens Curling Championship in my possession. Of course I passed it back to Jules but for the remainder of the event I wondered what would have happened if the Holy Grail had been lost… would the Gushue team have gone on to win.

The autographed program along with the story was priceless to my elderly curling fanatic friend. Sadly, she passed away the following year and of course she had her cremains placed in a hollowed curling rock. Gratefully, I have the program and the memories to cherish and regale.