Annual Tulliallan Challenge, Saturday 7th March 2026

On a beautiful spring day, eight intrepid Penicuik curlers travelled north to Kinross Curling Rinkto represent Penicuik Culing Club against eight curlers from Tulliallan Curling Club in our annual challenge game which coincided with Scotland’s Rugby International match against France, soa weather eye was being kept on the scoreline from Murrayfield

Penicuik A, skipped by Iain Scott with Club President Margaret, David Gillespie and Roger Scott,were pitched against Tulliallan A, skipped by Mary Thomson, with Alasdair Macdonald, EileenPaterson and Alan Menzies

Penicuik B, skipped by Dave Anderson, with Dave Carr, Jean Noble, and Saho Arakawa, faced Tulliallan B, skipped by Alan Paterson, with Catriona Macdonald, Morag Jamieson and JaneShields

Playing the yellow stones on very swingy ice, Penicuik got off to a good start with rink A getting 2shots and rink B gaining 1 shot against the hammer. End two saw Tulliallan getting on to thescoreboard, each winning by a single shot. In ends 3, 4 and 5, Iain’s rink took singles to lead by 5shots to 1 at that stage, whilst Dave’s rink took a single in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th, in end 5 Alan raised his front red stone to reduce a potential 4 against to a single, resulting in the samescoreline on each sheet. Penicuik B played well to steal 4 shots in the 6th but in end 7 with 6 red stones in the house and 2 yellow stones looking very vulnerable, Alan played to take both out but was very unlucky that his last stone drew a fraction too much and took only one stone away resulting in 1 shot to Tulliallan with that game finishing 9 shots to 2 in Penicuik’s favour.

Meanwhile, Iain’s rink lost 3 shots in end 6 but got a single in the last to finish winners by 6 shots to 4. At one stage our colour-blind octogenarian caused great hilarity when he suggested “taking that blue stone away”.

The final aggregate score was Tulliallan 6 – Penicuik 15. Congratulations to Penicuik We retired to the clubrooms for food and refreshments to end a very enjoyable day’s curling at Kinross, played in the very best of spirits against our friends from Tulliallan.

President Alan presented President Margaret with the Challenge Trophy which she gracefully received with kind words of thanks to our hosts.

Dave Anderson