World Financial Group

The World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4, the “Kings of Canadian Curling”, traveled to Olds, AB to participate in the 2010 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup.  The winner would determine who would represent Alberta in the 2010 Tim Horton’s Brier.  And Randy, David, Scott and Marcel were all raring to go to represent for this great honor.

The Ferbey 4’s first match was Wednesday, February 2, opposite Rob Armitage’s rink out of Red Deer.  Our rink had the hammer and used it to win 9-2 in six ends.  The next morning, the men in the WFG curling shirts faced off against the rink of James Pahl out of Sherwood Park.  This match was so evenly played, it went to eleven ends.  However, David’s final rock was good enough to earn the Ferbey 4 an 8-7 win. 

Later that day, our rink faced their cross town competitors Kevin Koe to determine the first finalist for the cup.  Again, eleven ends were needed to determine the outcome.  However, Kevin would take this one by a score of 10-8.

With one qualifier determined, Randy and the guys took the house again Friday afternoon opposite Rob Armitage’s rink.  This match also went to eleven ends.  Thanks to the hammer, the Ferbey 4 won 8-7.  Later that day, our WFG curling rink became the second finalist by winning opposite Lloydminster’s Warren Hassall by a score of 9-5.  Warren’s rink had the hammer, but the Ferbey 4 only needed nine ends to win this one.

In the first match of the semifinals held on Saturday night, Randy and the team faced Kevin Koe again to determine who would go to the final game.  The loser would play an additional game opposite the winner of the semifinal “play-in” game.  Although giving a great effort, Randy lost to Kevin by a score of 10-6 in nine ends.  But in the second semifinal game, the Ferbey 4 faced the fellow Edmonton rink of Ted Appleman.  And, thanks to the hammer, our WFG curling team took this contest 6-4 in ten ends.

After the round robin and the elimination rounds, the Ferbey 4 faced Kevin Koe for the third time this tournament.  And the winner would represent Alberta in the 2010 Brier in Halifax.  However, Koe’s rink proved too strong for our WFG curling team and won the 2010 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup by a score of 7-5 in nine ends.

Randy, David, Scott and Marcel will return to competition March 25 to in the Bear Mountain Classic.  Keep reading here for the latest on World Financial Group’s own “Kings of Canadian Curling”. 

Last year, the World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4, the “Kings of Canadian Curling”, played in and won the Casino Rama Skins game in Orilla, ON, and the team was invited back to defend their title.  However, this year featured a different lineup for our favorite curling rink as David Nedohin was sidelined with a back injury.  Filling in for David was Wayne Middaugh, the Victoria Harbour, ON skip - and he looked great in the WFG blue and yellow.

In a Skins Game, the teams compete for “skins” awarded with a victory in a particular end.  These skins were worth anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 during an eight end game.  If nobody wins the particular end, the skin carries over.  This could be advantageous to the rinks as some skins are worth more money than others. 

The Ferbey 4’s first match of the tournament was opposite Ontario’s Glenn Howard.  No skins were won in the first two ends, although Howard jumped to an early lead.  Then, in the sixth end, the WFG curling team won a $3,000 skin.  The match went into a carry-over, making the last two skins worth $11,000, which the Ferbey 4 won both - totaling $14,000 - and a spot in the final.

You wouldn’t think a cactus would be something seen related to curling.  But no one thought to tell that to the curling club in Brooks, AB, who recently hosted the 2009 Cactus Pheasant Classic over the Halloween weekend.  Among those participating were the WFG-sponsored curling rink of Randy Ferbey, David Nedohin, Scott Pfeifer and Marcel Rocque, better known as the Ferbey 4.

The Ferbeys started Thursday morning opposite the rink of Thomas Dufour from Chamonix, France.  While Thomas’s rink had the hammer, Randy and the guys slid to a 7-3 victory in six ends.  Later that day our WFG curling team slid against Sean Geall of New Westminster, BC.  For this match, the Ferbey 4 had the hammer and used it in their 7-2 win in five ends.

The World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4 spent their Canadian Thanksgiving weekend participating in the triple-elimination Westcoast Curling Classic (W.C.C.) in New Westminster, BC.  Also taking part in the competition were the men’s teams that are eligible for the “Roar of the Rings” and several teams hoping to qualify later this year.  

The curling action for Randy, David, Scott and Marcel started early Friday morning opposite the BC rink of Andrew Bilesky.  Randy and the guys had the hammer and used it to take this contest to a final score of 7-2.  Later Friday afternoon, WFG’s own “Kings of Canadian Curling” faced Sean Geall’s rink, also based in BC.  The Ferbeys used the hammer and a four rock score in the sixth end to take this game to a 7-3 victory. 

Saturday saw another early start for the WFG-sponsored curling team against McEwen’s rink out of Manitoba.  The 8 am start was very agreeable for the Ferbey 4, as a four rock score in the second end slid the way to a 7-2 victory.  Unfortunately, the Ferbeys’ second match of the day would see them lose to Kevin Koe, a fellow Albertan rink, by a score of 7-3. 

On Sunday, the men in the dapper WFG curling shirts started their day in the early afternoon opposite Ted Appleman’s rink.  The fellow Albertans made things very close for the Ferbey 4, but in the end, Appleman brought a win to their house by a score of 7-5.   

A few hours later, Randy and the guys took brooms in hand to face Jeff Richard’s rink out of BC.  And, thanks to the hammer, the Ferbeys won 6-4 in eight ends.  But in their final match of the W.C.C., the WFG Ferbey 4 drew the fellow Edmonton rink of Kevin Martin who swept the Ferbeys out of the tournament with an 8-3 win. 

Keep reading here for more coverage of the World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4.

The Canadian Press recently reported that the sport of curling will be the basis of a Winter Olympic-themed episode of “The Simpsons” next year.  Homer and Marge Simpson form a mixed doubles curling team with Principal Skinner and his mother, Agnes.  The article quotes World Financial Group-sponsored curling skip Randy Ferbey.  While the members of our own Ferbey 4 have yet to be tapped to lend their voices in the episode, you have to admit that it’s cool to have WFG separated by one degree (or possibly two degrees) from one of television’s most enduring shows.

Look for more coverage of the Ferbey 4 right here on wfgsports.com.

These are exciting times for the World Financial Group-sponsored curling team, the Ferbey 4.  Randy Ferbey, Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque and David Nedohin played in the Grey Power Player’s Championship held in Grand Prairie, AB.  The “Kings of Canadian Curling” are hoping to throw their way to an automatic berth in the “Roar For The Rings”, which will determine who will represent Canada at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Their first day of “round robin” action began on Wednesday, April 15.  Randy and the guys, who were placed in the “A Event”, faced fellow Edmonton resident Chris Schille early in the day.  The Ferbeys had the hammer and needed it all the way to the ninth end to win 6-5.  In fact, this match was so close no rocks were scored in the third end.

The WFG men in “the house” later faced the rink of Brad Gushue out of St. John’s, NL.  Once again, the Ferbey 4 had the hammer and took seven ends to throw a 6-3 victory.  Once again this match offered an end - the sixth - with no score.

Let’s cheer on the Ferbey 4 as they next look to take it to the Olympic “house”!

One week after the 2009 Canada Cup of Curling, the Ferbey 4 – a.k.a. “Kings of Canadian Curling” - traveled to Victoria, BC, for the Bear Mountain Canadian Classic.  The Ferbey team, the World Financial Group-sponsored curling team, hoped to build on their second place finish at the Canada Cup as they continue to seek the chance to represent Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics. 

Their first draw was against the Korean national team on Thurs., March 26.  Only six ends were needed for Randy, David, Marcel and Scott to beat the Korean team 10-2.  The Ferbeys scored two rocks in three consecutive ends, and three rocks in their last end.  Later that day, Randy and the guys faced Steve Petryk out of Edmonton.  And again, the Ferbeys won 10-2 in six ends.  WFG’s finest in “the house” had three three-rock ends. 

The Ferbey 4 next played on Fri., March 27 after a morning bye.  Their first opponent of the day was against the rink of Chris Schille, also of Edmonton.  Randy and his team put in a valiant effort, but Schille’s team pulled out a 7-6 victory in eight ends. 

However, the tide turned for the team in their last draw in the round robin, when they took on Mike McEwen’s rink out of Winnipeg.  The game was close until the ninth end, when Randy, David, Marcel and Scott eked out a 7-6 win. 

With no ties to break, Randy and the guys headed into the quarter finals against the national team from Great Britain.  However, the rink from Lockerbie led by David Murdoch proved too powerful for our guys and the Ferbey 4 went down 9-2 in six ends. 

But there’s no need to fear.  The World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4 will play next in the Players Championship in Grand Prairie, AB April 14-19.  Let’s wish our curling team all the best in this match, which you can read about here when it happens!

It’s going to be a busy next few days for fans of World Financial Group sponsored sports teams.  Nine Pac-10 men’s basketball teams and four women’s basketball teams are participating in postseason tournaments.  And the WFG-sponsored “Kings of Canadian Curling”, the Ferbey 4, are playing in the 2009 Canada Cup of Curling in Yorktown, SK.  And on Wednesday, their first day, Randy, Scott, David and Marcel had a pretty good round. 

The Ferbey’s first match was against the rink of Ted Appleman of Edmonton, AB.  The WFG-sponsored Ferbey 4 had the hammer and used it often on their way to a 6 to 2 victory.  Our guys only needed nine ends to win and even scored two rocks in the sixth end. 

However, their second match was against Kerry Burtnyk of Winnipeg, MB.  Kerry’s rink had the hammer in this match and only needed nine ends to beat our guys 7-4. 

But Randy and the guys weren’t out of this yet.  Round Robin action continued for WFG’s own curling team as they took on fellow Edmonton resident Kevin Koe and his rink Thursday evening.  The match was even throughout, but our guys used the hammer in the tenth end to secure a 6-5 victory. 

Friday was busy for the Ferbey 4.  Their day began early as they took on Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton.  The Ferbeys had the hammer and only needed eight ends to win 9-5, even scoring three rocks in two ends!  Not long after that, Randy, Scott, David and Marcel faced Mike McEwen, also from Winnipeg.  This match was much closer, but curling fans watched as the Ferbey 4 team took all ten ends and the hammer to win 8-7. 

On Saturday, our guys in “the house” faced their longtime Edmonton rivals, the rink of Kevin Martin.  But thanks to the hammer and a three rock score in the seventh end, the Ferbeys won 6-2 after seven ends.  With the win, the Ferbeys found themselves in the men’s final on Sunday. 

But the finals saw Randy, Scott, David and Marcel face Kevin Martin again.  This time, Kevin had the hammer and, despite the score being tied for five ends, Kevin and his rink defeated our WFG-sponsored curling team 8-5. 

However, the season is nowhere near over for the Ferbey 4.  They start play at the Bear Martin Arena Curling Classic on March 26.  And, with the second place finish, our guys have qualified for the next round of Olympic qualifying.  Here’s hoping our guys can bring “the whoosh” to “the house”!

A couple of weeks ago, World Financial Group held its 2009 Convention of Champions at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  Among the guests included Ben Stein, Dianne Bruckner, Tom Hopkins, John Maxwell, members of the USA Luge team as well as three of our own “Kings of Canadian Curling”, the Ferbey 4.

Scott Pfeifer, Marcel Rocque and David Nedohin spoke at a workshop along with members of the USA Luge team.  I, along with several WFG associates, learned a few things about curling and teamwork, including:

World Financial Group-sponsored Ferbey 4 competed in the 2009 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup in Wainwright this past weekend.  This curling tournament determines the champion of Alberta and who would represent Alberta in the ever important Tim Horton’s Brier in two weeks. 

In the beginning, it was easy sailing for Randy, Marcel, Scott and David.  Their first draw was against the rink of Kurt Balderson of the Sexsmith Curling Club.  In early action Thursday, Randy and the guys fell behind, but they came back with the hammer to take a 7-4 victory.  Ten ends were needed, but they got the job done.   

A little later in the day, the men sporting the WFG curling shirts faced fellow Edmontonian Kevin Koe and his team.  And this game was decided rather early.  Only six ends were needed for the 6-2 Ferbey 4 victory.   

But our guys would not be the first all-out qualifier of the tournament.  At the end of competition Thursday, Randy and his rink faced their cross-town rival Kevin Martin.  Despite taking the early lead and having the hammer, Kevin’s rink took the seventh, eighth and ninth ends to secure the 8-5 win over our guys. 

There was good news, however, as Randy, Marcel, Scott and David were pre-qualified based on their previous wins on the Alberta Curling Tour.  That meant our World Financial Group “Kings of Canadian Curling” continued in the tournament later on Friday against the Calgary-based rink of Dean Ross.  The Ferbey 4 had the hammer in this match and, over eight ends, won by a score of 10-3.  And in the last draw on Friday, Randy and his rink once again faced Kevin Koe and his team and won by a score of 9-5.  Their victories on Friday made our curlers from Edmonton the second qualifier in the tournament! 

On Saturday, the WFG-sponsored Ferbey 4 rink had their first championship bout against Kevin Martin.  In what was called the “page one-two” game, Kevin squeaked by Randy with a 6-5 win.  But in their second game of the finals, Randy, Scott, Marcel and David took on Sherwood Park’s James Pahl and won that game 7-6.  The Ferbeys had the hammer and needed all ten ends to win. 

That meant the championship match was decided.  And, once again, Randy and the guys would face Kevin Martin.  Kevin had won against Randy twice this past weekend.  Would Randy put a stop to Kevin’s winning?  Alas, despite a valiant effort, Kevin Martin and his rink won 7-3. 

But our guys are not done this year by a long shot.  The Ferbey 4 will return in the Canada Cup of Curling on March 18-22.  And look for more coverage of our own curling rink here from your friends at World Financial Group.