Utica Curling Club - Bonspiels

Bonspiels

Mitchell Mens

An international invitational bonspiel, founded by Alexander Mitchell, patron of the Grand National, who placed the medal into competition in Feb. of 1885. Alexander Mitchell, a Scot from Aberdeenshire, moved to Milwaukee in 1839 as the representative of a Scottish insurance company. He became a leading banker, industrialist and later on became President of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. In December 1884, he donated the Mitchell Gold Medal for annual competition to be "played in the Eastern and Western sections alternately with the Gordon Champion Rink Medal." Mr. Mitchell died of pneumonia in the spring of 1887 and the last Western Competition was held in St. Paul in February 1898. After that it was held only in the East, and in 1916, it was decided to make the Utica Curling Club the permanent host of the bonspiel.

There are six events with a four-game guarantee. The 2011 Mitchell was the 126th overall and the 100th to be held at the Utica Curling Club.

Cobb Mixed

An international invitational bonspiel with extensive social activities for out-of-town teams and selected Utica teams (based on performance in the Mixed Championship). There are six medal events. Trophy presentations: President's Cup, winner of the first event; Curler's Cooler, runner-up of the first event; Silver Tassie, winner of the second event; The Ice Box, winner of the third event; and Friendship Trophy, winner of the fourth event.