– For the second consecutive year, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada’s elite Cup Series, presented by Wrangler, will buck into Brandon, Manitoba, holding the PBR Mazergroup Chute Out at Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre on May 27, 2023. PBR Canada’s Cup Series regularly features Canada’s best riders alongside some of the league’s top international athletes, squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls from across the nation. For one night only, fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and wrecks throughout the action-packed event as the PBR’s courageous bull-riding athletes face off against their 2,000-pound opponents bred to buck. The Brandon event will mark the third event of the nine-event 2023 season for the PBR Canada Cup Series, presented by Wrangler. Prior to travelling to the Manitoba town, the Cup Series will hold tour stops in both Red Deer and Lethbridge, Alberta. When the elite Canadian Cup Series debuted in Brandon in June 2022, young gun Blake Smith (Abbey, Saskatchewan) delivered a flawless 2-for-2 performance to win the event. In Round 1, Smith was in perfect time with Confused Mind (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle/Legend Rodeo Stock), reaching the requisite 8 for 83.5 points, tying for the round win. Smith then used his early pick in the Round 2 bull draft to select Crossfire’s Black Jack (Lazy S Bucking Bulls), a decision which proved dividends. Smith matched the powerful animal athlete jump-for-jump, and the electric crowd erupted in cheer as he reached the whistle for an event-best 87 points. Edging past the runner-up contender by a mere 2 points in the aggregate, Smith’s score clinched the victory. The event was part of the most intense national title race in PBR Canada history. As the season continued to unfurl, nine riders traveled to the PBR Canada National Finals in contention to win the honor and accompanying $50,000 bonus. Mounting a come-from-behind surge, Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) emerged the 2022 PBR Canada Champion, surpassing regular-season No. 1 Dakota Buttar (Eatonia, Saskatchewan) and holding off a hard-charging Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) in the final outs of the season. When the dust settled, Tetz finished 26.5 points ahead of runner-up Radford. The bull riding action for PBR Canada Cup Series’ Mazergroup Chute Out, begins at 7:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 27, 2023. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. CST, and start at $30, taxes and fees not included, and can be purchased at the Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre Box Office and online at Ticketmaster.ca.  

Local goaltender Drew Blight saw an opportunity to provide a new service and create a unique business. The Rent A Goalie idea operates in most major cities and Blight will be a hired gun for hockey teams needing a goalie. Thanks Scramble Studio for the Wendy's Winter Hockey League photo Teams last minute need a goalie for a league or exhibition game and without having a goalie the game is basically useless. Blight has been a goalie for over 20 years and loves the game and for $30.00 he will help a team in distress. Of course, Drew does not promise a level of professional goaltending but rather a body that will show up and enable the game to happen. Contact Drew Blight at 204 720 8996 WWHL Goalie Profile https://www.aaahockey.com/roster_players/60107856?subseason=856507

The Westman Volleyball Club will be entering its 12th year of offering teams.  For the first time this year Westman will be offering a 14U Boys team run out of the Glenboro/Baldur area.  The Club will also be running 14U, 15U, 16U and 17U girls' teams. The following are tryout times for each age level: 14U Girls Saturday Dec 10/Sunday Dec 11 10:00 am to 11:30 am Shilo Strange Hall Coaches:  Jamie Lajeunesse/Emily Waddell 14U Boys Wednesday December 14th 6:30pm to 8:30pm Glenboro High School Coaches:  Devin McLean email kelly_j_hill@hotmail.com to register 15U Girls Saturday Dec 10/Sunday Dec 11 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm Shilo Strange Hall Coaches:  Sierra Eastcott/Hayley Eastcott 16U Girls (2 teams) Saturday Dec 10/Sunday Dec 11 2:00pm to 3:30pm Coaches Wave: Dean Oakden/Allison Jones Coaches Wild: Zach Price 17U Girls Contact Jeff Werbowski jwerbo1937@gmail.com To signup for tryouts:  Use pay online option:  www.wvolleyballcub.com or e-transfer dean@gcflwestman.com $35.00

The Brandon Wheat Kings have announced they are making a coaching change, parting ways with Head Coach Don MacGillivray.  Current Wheat Kings General Manager Marty Murray will assume coaching duties moving forward. “These types of decisions are very difficult in our business, especially when dealing with good people,” said Murray. “We are not satisfied with our record, especially on home ice.  Everyone must accept responsibility, including management, coaches, and players.  We owe it to the fans and this great organization to be better, and that is what our focus will be.” MacGillivray has spent the past seven seasons in the Wheat Kings organization, coming on board as an Assistant Coach in 2016-17 before taking on the role as Head Coach during the 2020-21 season.  MacGillivray finishes his head coaching tenure in Brandon with a regular season record of 61-47-7-2.  The team currently sits at the bottom of the East Division with a record of 8-15-2-0. “We would like to thank Don for his contributions and passion towards the Wheat King organization over the years, and we wish him nothing but the best,” Murray went on to say. Assistant Coaches Mark Derlago and Del Pedrick will remain on the coaching staff.  Murray becomes the 25th Head Coach in Wheat Kings history.  He brings over a decade of head coaching experience as the Head Coach and GM of both the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL from 2011-2020 followed by two seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede organization of the USHL from 2020-2021. The Wheat Kings are back in action this weekend when they host the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday Night and the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday Night at Westoba Place.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have announced that the team is partnering with four local minor hockey teams to raise funds to support player development through the first annual Brandon Wheat Kings Progressive 50/50. This new month long 50/50 fundraiser will see one lucky ticket purchaser take home half the pot, with the remaining half of the pot being split amongst the select teams. Fifty percent of the pot will go towards the Wheat Kings Player Development fund, twenty percent to the U18 AAA program, ten percent to the U17 AAA program, ten percent to the U15 AAA Female program and ten percent to the U15 AAA Male program. “As a parent of a minor hockey player, I understand the importance of player development for both the player and the team” commented Wheat Kings Owner and Governor, Jared Jacobson.  “We are excited to be able to work with these local organizations to help increase player development opportunities for each of their teams”. This exciting fundraiser will begin on Friday and will conclude on New Year’s Eve. “We are thrilled to be part of this innovative fundraiser that will benefit the development of elite Hockey in Brandon” said U18 AAA Manager Mike Brolund. A few businesses have already stepped up and made significant donations to the fundraising initiative with Wendy’s Brandon, Skydancer Casino and the J&G Group of Companies donating $15,000 to get the pot started. “We are thankful for the Wheat Kings commitment to use their reach to support Brandon Minor Hockey.  We have explored all traditional fundraising options, and this is a great new initiative we are happy to be a part of” said U15 AAA Female Manager Greg Beckwith. In addition to the grand prize draw, three lucky winners will be drawn on Christmas Eve, with one winner taking home two tickets to all remaining Wheat King home games, one winner taking home a $1,000.00 Wheat Kings Team Store gift card, and another winner taking home two tickets to all remaining U18AAA Wheat King home games. Anyone in Manitoba can get in on the action right now! TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE HERE: bwkmega5050.com Fans can also buy their raffle tickets in person at all Wheat Kings home games at Westoba Place, as well as home games at J&G Homes Arena, where the U18 AAA, U17 AAA, U15 AAA male and female programs play out of. Watch for other ticket buying locations that will be added throughout the city over the holiday season.