Celebration continues after Alberta’s Brier win
A special guest will be in attendance when Ben Hebert turns 36 on Saturday.
The Brier Tankard will be front and centre at what promises to be a memorable birthday party for Hebert, who helped the Kevin Koe-skipped Alberta team win the Canadian men’s curling championship Sunday night in Brandon.
“I haven’t had a birthday party in what feels like 15 years,” the Regina-born Hebert said Monday from his home in Chestermere, Alta.
“I’m having a party on Saturday and I’m calling it a ‘Tankard-slash-birthday party.’ I’m inviting all of my friends from Chestermere and it should be fun.”
Hebert, Koe, third B. J. Neufeld and second Colton Flasch registered a 4-3, last-shot victory over Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher — who skipped Team Wild Card — on Sunday.
Koe and his Calgary-based squad made a dramatic double to score two and the win over Bottcher, who was appearing in his second consecutive Brier final.
The Koe team’s celebration was delayed for a few seconds until the rocks settled. Once Hebert determined that Koe had indeed executed the clutch shot, the celebration was on.
“It doesn’t get old,” Hebert said. “That’s just pure, raw emotion and you can’t hide that.
“I’m glad that we got to celebrate it that way. You always dream of winning on a double or a draw to the four-foot. When you’re in the game, I was hoping for an open hit and rollout or something less dramatic. If I could pick, I would want to do it like that and then celebrate with your team.”
Koe and Hebert earned their fourth Brier championships. It was the first for Neufeld and Flasch, who joined Koe and Hebert during the off-season. Neufeld is from Winnipeg and Flasch from Saskatoon.
“We set our goal to get to the Brier,” Flasch said. “To win it our first year is unbelievable. Growing up in the curling world, the Brier is the biggest event. To go out and win that one is definitely something special.”
Koe became only the fourth skip to win four Briers, joining Kevin Martin, Randy Ferbey and Saskatchewan legend Ernie Richardson on the list. Koe’s four titles all have been with slightly different teams.
Hebert won Brier titles with Kevin Martin in 2008 and 2009 and with Koe in 2016 and 2019.
Martin’s team was unbeaten in 2008 and 2009 and Koe won the 2019 title with a 13-0 record — just the fifth time that any team had a perfect record at the Brier.
“There aren’t a lot of people in the game who have won four Briers,” Hebert said. “As a lead, I’ve hitched myself to some pretty good wagons with Kevin Martin and now with Kevin Koe, who are two of the best skips in the game. A lot of time and sacrifice goes into that kind of thing.”
This time last year, Koe, Hebert, third Marc Kennedy and second Brett Laing were dealing with the disappointment of being the first Canadian men’s curling team not to medal at the Winter Olympics.
“That was a chapter with a different team,” said Hebert, who won a gold medal with Martin at the 2010 Winter Olympics. “We’re on to a new team and that’s a good thing about this team — that we don’t talk about the Olympics much. It wasn’t the same four guys who were on that team. We have two new players.
“I definitely didn’t want the Olympic Games to be the last time I represented Canada and not get a medal. I’m always thrilled whenever we get to represent Canada and it’s a big honour, especially when it’s so hard to get out of your country.”
Koe’s team advances to the men’s world championship, March 30 to April 7 in Lethbridge. Hebert expects that event to be another party on par with his birthday celebration.
“It’s only a couple of hours from where I live and tons of family and friends I’m sure will be cruising up from Regina and a bunch more friends from around here will be there,” Hebert said. “I have a bunch of co-workers, friends and buddies who are from around that area. It will be awesome.”
Flasch, for his part, is looking forward to his first men’s world championship. The 2019 Brier was the fourth for Flasch, who played second for Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock at that event in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The 28-year-old Flasch made the move to Alberta after Kennedy decided to step away from the game and Laing joined a team skipped by Ontario’s John Epping.
It was also special for Flasch to share the title with Hebert, who was among the first Saskatchewan curlers to head to Alberta to curl. Hebert made the move after the 2006 Saskatchewan Tankard.
“Ben was the first guy to leave the province and take the next step,” Flasch said. “That’s what I did this year.”
TSN devoted time during the Brier recognizing the top players at each position and the best men’s team of all time. Hebert was selected the best lead and Martin’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 squad was voted the best team by a panel of curling experts.
“I have tough time commenting on being the lead because it’s a team game,” Hebert said. “As the lead, you’re held hostage to how good your teammates are. I’ve been on the lucky side of having two amazing skips in Kevin Martin and Kevin Koe.
“I prefer the team award because I’m part of the team and it’s easier to talk about. That was a special team we were on, with winning back-to-back Briers and then winning the Olympics. We had three years of pretty heavy dominance in the curling world.”