Keeping the grub up for bonspiel

It seems Rachel Duffy was born to be catering manager at the national bonspiel held on Idaburn dam yesterday.

•  Colour of curling sweeps all before it

Mrs Duffy, of Oturehua, who has held the job for the past eight years, took over the key role from her mother, Kathryn O'Connell (nee McKnight), of Alexandra, who in turn inherited it from her mother, Zona McKnight, of Ranfurly.

Mrs Duffy said she and her team of 10 to 12 volunteers yesterday served more than 260 pies, topped with gravy and supplemented by potatoes, peas and locally-grown swedes.

"We also had four massive pots of homemade vegetable soup."

Mrs Duffy said lunch today would be similar, although the pies would be replaced by sausages.

Curlers would consume 170kg of potatoes and 150kg of swede during the two-day event.

Those on the ice were given morning and afternoon tea to keep them going during the day.

"Local kids pull out sleds with supplies of special coffee, biscuits and cheese.

"The coffee is a secret recipe. It's sickly sweet."

Tonight, Mrs Duffy and the catering team will serve beef stew, potatoes, peas, mixed vegetables for dinner at the curlers' court.

It will be topped off with apple shortcake and cream.

Mrs Duffy said due to the nature of the event, there was not much time to prepare the food.

"We had a working bee the night before. There were a lot of potatoes peeled."

She said all those involved in preparing and serving the food were local volunteers.

"We always get a good turnout. It's a lot of fun and a good fundraiser for the community here [Oturehua].

"We raise money for things like the hall and swimming pool."

She said the curlers did not seem to feel the cold.

"They don't mind at all. It is winter. It's all part of it."

The latest bonspiel, which began yesterday and will finish today, is the first to be held since 2007.

Despite thick fog and sub-zero temperatures, the first day went off without a hitch.

New Zealand Curling Association life member and Idaburn Curling Council secretary Stewart McKnight said the ice was in excellent condition "although it would have been nice to see the sun".

Mr McKnight said there were 264 curlers from as far away as Auckland at the event, representing 33 of the 35 clubs eligible to take part.

He said it was particularly pleasing to have a team from Auckland on the ice.

"It was a bit of a bonus that they were down for the indoor champs."

- colin.williscroft@odt.co.nz