Lloydminster adds $1,000 to prize pool

The Darts on the Border tournament on September 30 and October 1 is adding a cool $1,000 to its kitty, sponsored by Royal Canadian Legion Branch #39, says tournament organizer Iain Mackay.

There'll be a blind draw Friday night, followed by men's doubles and women's singles Saturday morning and women's doubles and men's singles later on Saturday. For more info contact Iain or Lori at 780-875-1786.

AGM elects interim SDA president

Our Association has a familiar face taking over as interim president. Elaine Walker was elected by acclamation at the 2016 AGM in Regina September 10 and will serve until the end of the 2016-17 season, when she is expected to run again for the 2017-19 term.

Other executive members took up new positions, including Shauna Grassing as Youth Director and Shawn Solomon as Member-at-Large.

The 43 members present observed a minute's silence for the passing of members and loved ones including sitting president and great friend of Canadian darts Pat Copeman.

Warm congratulations were offered to youth player Saul Arndt for winning the America's Cup youth title in Barbados earlier this summer. Saul will now go on to represent Canada at the World Masters in England. Let's all wish him the best!

A darts tournament was also played at the Eagles Club, the AGM's new venue for this year. Steve Kristjansson of Saskatoon won in men's with a victory over Karsten Larsen. Women's singles goes to Bonnie Lapierre of Regina, who defeated Elaine Walker in the final. We've lost track of how many times Bonnie has won the AGM. Suffice it to say it's easier to count the times when she didn't win it! Way to go Hammer!

Men's doubles winners are Saul Arndt and his partner Eric Matheson, who defeated Shawn Solomon and Cliff Culbert in the final. Eric got a mention during the meeting for having broken the record for the number of 180s hit in one season. Eric hit the maximum 60 times in 2015-16.

Women's doubles winners were – no prizes for guessing – Bonnie Lapierre and Elaine Walker. Judy Cleaveley and Aspen Hall were runners up.

See the full results from the AGM.

Riders 2016 football pool tickets for sale

The 2016 Riders football fundraiser is your chance to raise money for our association, win prizes, and watch the Riders all at the same time!

Tickets are $20 for the whole CFL season, with one draw in each regular season game as well as the playoffs and Grey Cup Final. Tickets can be bought at any time during the season and prizes will be back paid.

You can see the scores and a list of winners here. See your zone director to buy tickets and also if you want to become a ticket seller. And Go Riders!

The darts community in Saskatchewan is reeling from the news of the passing of our president, coach, team-mate, mentor and friend Pat Copeman, peacefully at home in Regina on July 25.We would like to express our condolences to her husband Howard, children Donna and Darren (Kim) and grandchildren Aaron and Bailey.

Pat was involved in Saskatchewan darts at every level since the earliest days of the SDA in the 1980s. She represented our province at NDFC Nationals as a player in 1990, ‘92, ‘97, ‘99 and 2004. When she stopped throwing competitively, Pat embraced the role of coach and executive, representing us at Nationals as coach or provincial director in 2008, ‘09, ‘10, ‘12 and ‘13 then as SDA President in 2014, ‘15 and ‘16, and was well known at the national level. Pat was also an inspiration to youth players and attended NDFC Youth Nationals with the Saskatchewan team in 2015 and 2016.
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Pat’s long-time friend Judy Seidler took the time to share some of her memories:

"Mom, Grandma, Ms. President, or just Pat – no matter what you called her, we lost a good one on July 25, 2016.

Pat was a dedicated dart enthusiast, either as a player or as an administrator and had been involved in darts for about 35 to 40 years. She originally started playing at the Vets in Regina in the Ladies League. I first got to know her when she entered some of the small tournaments that I used to run at the Legion. One of my first memories of her was when Pat and two other women came over with these silly smurf tee-shirts on and called themselves the Smurfettes. We had a lot of giggles about that years later. Pat and I would travel to all of the SDA tournaments either with Carol Shepherd, or Carl Mercer and Jack Giesinger or just us. We were going to Nipawin one year and hit a storm. Instead of turning back, we rolled down both windows and followed the lines that way with our heads stuck out of the windows.

As time went on, the three of us, Pat, Carol and myself, became inseparable, as everyone pretty much knows. I think one of Pat's proudest moments in darts was when the three of us were inducted into the Golden Harvest Hall of Fame as the Three Amigos.

The memories for me are immense and I can't even begin to start on everything. So many years of laughs and giggles. (Pat and I are pictured right at the 1992 Nationals).

Pat loved the admin side of darts but was starting to get a little tired so she was thinking of taking a break at the next election.

Pat, you will be missed hugely by the dart family in Saskatchewan and across Canada in every province.

I, myself will miss you a lot even though I no longer play. Be at peace and God's Speed.

- Judy Seidler, former SDA President (2007-09) and Team Sask player 13 times (1984-2005).

Pat’s close friend and playing partner for more than 20 years, Carol Shepherd, is, like many of us, still in shock. She says that Pat was not unwell and was very active. “She was like a sister to me,” says Carol, pictured left. They had been roomies at countless darts tournaments and Nationals trips. “Pat was always coaching,” she says.

Pat had retired from a career as a registered nurse and was a volunteer for the RCMP among other activities. An obituary appeared in the Regina Leader-Post.

Pat was elected President of the SDA in 2011, having served on the executive for several years as Secretary. Here at the SDA executive, we will try to continue on with the business of darts without Pat at the helm, but it will be very tough to do so and on behalf of all our players and all of those who knew Pat, we’d like to say that darts in Saskatchewan will never be the same. Thanks for everything, Mom.

Saskatchewan ninth at Nationals

Team Saskatchewan pictured at Richmond, B.C. June 14 2016. Back row L-R: Karsten Larsen, Ashtin Bear, Steve Kristjansson, Eric Matheson, Danny Mckenzie, Jason Skinner, John Brann, Aaron Hamilton. Front row, L-R: Pat Copeman (SDA President), Dakota Roberts, Sharon Acker, Bonnie Lapierre, Elaine Walker, Carol Shepherd, Stacey Stephanson, Laurie Unger, Randi Friess

Team Sask finished up in ninth place overall in the Canada Cup standings at the 2016 NDFC Adult Nationals.

Some of our players had a good run in the round robin sections, including Bonnie Lapierre who advanced to the first round. A couple of our teams were in 4th-place playoffs, but it was not meant to be our year.

Nationals were played June 14-17. The winning province this year is Nova Scotia.

Ashtin Bear fifth at Canadian Open

Provincial Champion Ashtin Bear of Prince Albert wowed the crowd at the Canadian Open in Richmond BC on June 18 as he played to a respectable joint fifth place.

Ashtin was knocked out in a seven-leg thriller by John Norman of Newfoundland and Labrador. The eventual winner was Kiley Edmonds of Nova Scotia. Women's champ is Karrah Boutilier, also Nova Scotia. A nice run by Ashtin and now Nationals is over, our players get a well-deserved summer break. 

Full results from Nationals and the Canadian Open will be posted on the NDFC web page.

Saul Arndt (Regina) and Jaymes Swenson (Prince Albert) took it to the stage on the opening day of Youth Nationals May 20 and won the NDFC junior boys' doubles title in Richmond, BC. Great darts!

Nice haul

On May 21, Saul Arndt won the Americas Cup qualifier, entitling him to represent Canada at the U-17 level in Barbados! Update - Saul won in Barbados!

Then, on May 22, 16-year-old Saul teamed up with Rianna December of Saskatoon to make the stage and win silver in junior mixed doubles. Saul adds his two medals this year to his previous two, and that's Rianna's second medal as a junior rep. Way to go!

To round off an excellent tournament, Saul Arndt went on to win the World Masters qualifier, which earns him a place at the U-18 BDO World Masters in London, England in November. Saul, who was appearing at Nationals for the seventh time, is pictured right. A fantastic achievement by the lad from Regina!

Team SK 2016 also includes Josh Grenier, David Pelly, Lyneta Grenier, Clover Arndt and Shaukeena McKay.

Youth Team Saskatchewan pictured May 20, 2016. Back row L-R: Ken Cleaveley, Jaymes Swenson, Saul Arndt, David Pelly, Josh Grenier, Shawn Solomon (SDA Youth Director). Front Row, L-R: Judy Cleaveley, Lyneta Grenier, Clover Arndt, Rianna December, Shaukeena McKay, Pat Copeman (SDA President).

The Youth Nationals wound up Sunday evening, May 22 with the banquet and awards. Full results will be posted on the NDFC web site.