Written By Jan Sims
ILDERTON - The Ilderton Curling Club’s Owen Henry is back home after a successful showing at the 2026 Brier.
“The Brier experience was everything I dreamed of and more. From the indescribably loud crowd, to sliding over the Brier logos and everything in between, it truly was a dream come true,” says Henry.
Henry was part of the team that represented Ontario, skipped by Jayden King. The team had an impressive showing, including a 5-3 win-loss record in pool play. Their achievements are underscored by the youth of the team. “Our team was the youngest in the field, and I couldn’t be happier to be part of the next generation of curling in Canada,” says Henry.
The 2026 Brier was won by Team Manitoba, with a 6-3 victory over Team Alberta. The competition was held February 27th to March 8 in St. John’s Newfoundland.
The Brier is the top event in Canadian curling, and it comes with a lot of pressure.
“Representing your province is always a pressure filled task, but in front of 7000 people in the arena and a nationwide audience on TV, the lights are pretty bright. I leaned on my coach and teammates to help me through my times of stress, and tried to remember that at the end of the day it is just a curling game, and I have played many of those in my life,” says Henry.
This year’s Brier also marked the retirement of curling legend Brad Gushue. “Brad has been a role model for all young curlers in Canada for many years and curling will not be the same without him. It was very special to be in the building to hear the roars of the crowds supporting him, which were a testament to the great impact that he has had on our game,” says Henry.
The 2026 Brier came on the heels of a gold-medal performance by Brad Jacob’s team at the Olympics. “Brad Jacobs was my curling idol growing up. Being able to watch his team step to the top of the podium in Cortina and then getting to play against them less than 2 weeks later was pretty special,” says Henry.
As for what’s next for Henry: “Over the season our team moved up over 20 ranking spots in the world rankings, competed in our first grand slam and won our first Ontario Tankard. Capping off this great season at the Brier was a picture-perfect ending. Now the focus shifts to next season with planning and preparation for bigger and better things in 2026/27.”
