#Unearthed: Memories Of The Old Western Section

When you dig through skating history, you never know what you will unearth. In the spirit of cataloguing fascinating tales from skating history, #Unearthed is a once a month 'special occasion' on Skate Guard where fascinating writings by others that are of interest to skating history buffs are excavated, dusted off and shared for your reading pleasure. From forgotten fiction to long lost interviews to tales that have never been shared publicly, each #Unearthed is a fascinating journey through time. This month's 'buried treasure' is an article called "Memories Of The Old Western Section", which appeared in the program of the 1965 Prairie Sectional Figure Skating Championships, held at the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton. It was written by CFSA President Bert Penfold. Also included is a chart of early winners at the Western Canadian Championships, compiled from back issues of "Skating" magazine.

Cover of the program of the 1956 Western Canadian Championships. Photo courtesy University of Alberta Libraries.

"MEMORIES OF THE OLD WESTERN SECTION" (BERT PENFOLD)

"The Canadian Figure Skating Association, as it is constituted today, is probably the largest and most influential organization of its kind in the world. It directs and controls figure skating in Canada through 240 affiliated clubs, representing between 75,000 and 100,000 figure skaters from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland. 

For purposes of government Canada is divided into seven Sections, British Columbia, Prairie Section comprising the Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Northern Ontario Section, Western

Ontario Section, Central Ontario Section, Eastern Canada Section and Atlantic Provinces Section. Each of these seven sections hold Sectional Championships each year and the three top skaters in these sectional senior events are eligible to enter the Canadian Junior Championship events which are part of the Canadian Championships being held in Calgary this year.

Twenty years ago there were no sections. The Canadian Championships were competed for mainly by Eastern Canada skaters representing a few large clubs in that area. There were no other competitions beyond the club level and, consequently, our western skaters had little or no opportunity to compete. It was at this time that an idea which had been simmering in the minds of some vitally interested Western people blossomed forth and culminated in the birth of the old Western Canada Section. 

Two meetings were held, the first at Edmonton in the fall of 1946, sponsored by the Glenora Skating and Tennis Club Ltd. and the second one at the Glencoe Club in Calgary in January, 1947. At this second meeting a resolution was passed resulting in the formation of the first section in Canada, the Western Canada Section; the territory to include Victoria in the west to Fort William and Port Arthur in the east.

The writer had the honour and privilege of being the first President of the Western Canada Section and the first annual competition was held at Regina on February 15th and 16th, 1947. There were between 30 and 40 skaters who participated in this first sectional competition representing clubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg. Judges were Dr. Urban Gareau, Mrs. A. G. E. Robbins and Roy M. Barnes. Allan M. Kerr was referee. The Novice and Junior events were held on Saturday and the Senior events on Sunday. All events were held on the natural ice surface at the Wascana Winter Club and bleachers were erected on the ice surface at the south end of the rink for seating capacity. This greatly handicapped the free skating and dance events.

Event winners and runners-up were as follows: Men’s Novice Singles—Malcolm Wickson, Vancouver; Ladies’ Novice Singles—Frances Abbott, Winnipeg; runner-up, Mary Lou Coy, Regina; Men’s Junior Singles—Ross Smith, Winnipeg; Ladies’ Junior Singles—Jean Ross, Vancouver; runner-up, Joan Penfold, Regina; Junior Pairs—Jeane Matthews and William Lewis, Vancouver; runners-up, Ivy Smith and E. G. Leonard, Saskatoon; Men’s Senior Singles—Roger Wickson, Vancouver; runner-up, William Lewis, Vancouver; Ladies’ Senior Singles—Jeane Matthews, Vancouver; runner-up, Sheila Smith, Winnipeg; Ladies’ Pairs—Jean and Joan deWitt, Regina; runners-up, Joan Penfold and Mary Lou Coy, Regina; Senior Pairs—Sheila Smith and Ross Smith, Winnipeg; Fours—Frances Abbott, Roberta Wilcox, Dave Ross and Dr. John Abra, Winnipeg.

Roger Wickson. Photo courtesy Vancouver Public Library.

The second section was formed shortly after this in Northern Ontario under the guidance of Doug Deyell, but it was not until 1956, almost ten years later, that Sectional rules were eventually written into the C.F.S.A. Rulebook and Sections were formed right across Canada. For the next few years there were five sections, the Western Canada section continuing to embrace all of the territory from Victoria to Kenora, Ontario. The Eastern Canada section covered all the territory from Ottawa to Newfoundland. These two sections became too unwieldy and covered too vast a territory, involving heavy travelling expenses, and finally in 1959 the British Columbia and Atlantic Provinces sections were formed, making seven in all. 

The splitting up of the old Western Section made it necessary to return all of the old trophies to the donors and to provide new trophies for both the new sections and also involved a painful tug at the heartstrings of many of us who had been closely associated in the Old Section for some thirteen years. A few tears were shed and the new Prairie and British Columbia Sections were born. I am sure that this brief reference to bygone days of skating in the West will bring back nostalgic memories to many loyal supporters of skating in Western Canada."

Rosemary Henderson. Photo courtesy Harlick Skates.

CHART OF EARLY WINNERS AT THE WESTERN CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Year	Men	Women	Pairs	Ice Dance
1947	Roger Wickson	Jeane Matthews	Sheila and Ross Smith	(not held)
1948	Roger Wickson	Jeane Matthews	Sheila and Ross Smith	(not held)
1949	Roger Wickson	Jeane Matthews	Pearle Simmers and David Spalding	(not held)
1950	Roger Wickson	Rosemary Henderson	Pearle Simmers and David Spalding	Rosemary Henderson and Bert Wright
1951	Roger Wickson	Sonja Currie	Gayle Wakely and David Spalding	Mary Diane Trimble and David Ross
1952	Bill Lewis	Sonja Currie	Audrey Downie and Brian Power	Doreen Leech and Norman Walker
1953	Norman Walker	Sonja Currie	Audrey Downie and Brian Power	Frances Abbott and David Ross
1954	Norman Walker	Dianne Williams	Audrey Downie and Brian Power	Frances Abbott and David Ross
1955	Brian Power	Karen Dixon	Audrey Downie and Brian Power	Leone Miller and Dennis McFarlane
1956	Harry Nevard	Karen Dixon	Gale Rennie and Dennis McFarlane	Elizabeth and Dwight Parkinson
1957	Harry Nevard	Elaine Protheroe	Jane Sinclair and Larry Rost	Elaine Protheroe and William Trimble
1958	Harry Nevard	Pamela Willman	Patsy Marr and Frank Clark	Elaine Protheroe and William Trimble
1959	Larry Rost	Jocelyn Davidson	Jane Sinclair and Larry Rost	Margaret McDiarmid and Michael Scott

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