Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 33

'f 1 yi It i CALGARY HERALD Sat, October 12, 1991 i 1 yk i i-ft iTHi-Mi I Mike Sturk, Calgary Herald FUTURE STAR: Precious Mistake, attended by groom Brent Reid, figures to make a serious run at staking a claim as the best two-year-old in today's $75,000 Stampede Futurity. i 7 i i S'i-iv v- V. i m1 CURLING Olympic training Sutton's first goal Bonspiel first stop on long road By Murray Rauw (Herald writer) On the road to the last Winter Olympics, Calgary was the final stop. This time, the city is one of the early tests for skip Julie Sutton and her Victoria, B.C., rink as they prepare for Albert-ville and 1992 Games. Sutton's foursome is one of 32 rinks in the $22,000 Husky Oil Autumn Gold women's bonspiel underway at the Calgary Curling Club.

The event traditionally signals the start of the women's curling season in western Canada. This should be an unusual' season for Sutton. Usually, rinks dream about making it to big-money events at this time of year, but Sutton doesn't have to worry about that. The quartet is Canada's representative at the Olympics, where curling again will be restricted to demonstration status. Winning last year's Scott Tournament of Hearts also earned the Sutton rink an automatic entry into the 1992 Canadian championships.

"We'll be the only team that has ever gone to the Olympics and the Canadian championships in the same year," Sutton said on Friday. Edmonton's Kevin Martin will skip the Canadian men's rink. "We're trying to take it in perspective and use the bon-spiels as training," said Sutton. "For instance, in our games last week in Ottawa, we played the free-guard zone." It wasn't by design, but Sutton had to work on coming from behind in her opening draw. Mike Sturk, Calgary Herald Autumn Gold bonspiel to prepare for 1992 Winter Olympic Games in France.

ALBERTVILLE-BOUND: Skip Julie Sutton's rink is competing in the Husky Oil to beat jinx HORSE RACING am because I'd never had a two-year-old in a stake race before the Prep," said owner Max Shulder of Calgary, who's been involved in thoroughbred racing since the 1950s. Shulder has campaigned aged stake winners like Edie's Prize and Claim The Throne, who won several stakes at Phoenix, over the years. Rookie owners Wayne and Eleanor Martin, a Stettler couple who bought their first thoroughbred three years ago, have seen Precious Mistake, a $5,700 yearling in 1990, earn $67,544. "It was one of those crazy things," Wayne Martin said about buying their first race horse. "I used to go to the races once in awhile and I always said I'd like to own one some day." The Martins own pacers, too, including Two Tone Annie who's won three of six lifetime starts.

"But the one they won't let me forget is Counterfeit Crown," Martin joked. When she was a 1988 yearling, Wayne had a chance to buy 50 per cent of this filly the Alberta 1990 harness horse-of-the-year who recently became the first horse to earn $300,000 exclusively in this province. But the Martins felt the best way to get started in racing was to buy claimers. "We've changed our strategy a little bit," Martin said of the purchasing Precious Mistake. "It's nice to raise babies.

It's really exciting just to see what they might do." SHORT TALE: McMullen swept last night's Win-3 that paid $170.60, won the sixth dash on Sir Walter and the 10th on Pegg's Murr. oised Futurity Position Won, Precious Mistake chase rare sweep By Doug Abraham (Herald writer) It's been a strange season, so' that could be a good omen for Position Won and Precious Mistake in today's $75,000 Stampede Futurity in Calgary. Only Lucky Ship, in 1981, Holy Mac A Nolley, in 1987, and Leading Laddie, in 1989, have swept the Prep and Futurity in modern times in this 30-year-old classic. Otherwise, winning the Prep as Position Won and Precious Mistake did last week has jinxed the favorites in the annual showdown for two-year-olds. Position Won covered his Prep mile in 1:41.1, while Precious Mistake was only three ticks slower in 1:41.4 at Stampede Park.

But they'll have to share the betting favoritism with Akurfor-money and Loper who raced strongly in their respective second-place finishes. Position Won and Akurformo-ney both closed strongly, so the one-and-l16th mile distance shouldn't bother them. "The extra distance should bother the colts who were chasing Position Won a lot more than it should him," said Position Won's jockey, Mike McMullen. Trainer Dale who'd been wanting to run this late-developing colt was pleasantly rewarded when Position Won rallied from fifth for an open-lengths tally in the Prep. It was the' maiden triumph for this $18,000 son of the $507,000 winner, Pole Position.

"I shouldn't be nervous but I Down 6-1 to Calgary's Cheryl Bernard, the defending champion, Sutton made things interesting before losing 6-4 and dropping to the Event. When curling was added to the 1988 Calgary Olympics, Canadian skips Ed Lukowich and Linda Moore went through the same extended preparations. Players felt that no matter how successful they were during the season, success or failure hinged on how they performed at the Olympics. Moore, of Vancouver, won the gold medal for Canada. "We're certainly pleased to have the opportunity to go the Olympics," said Sutton, who has sister Jodie Sutton, Melissa Soli-go and Karri Willms on her rink.

"But for our team, that seems so far off. We're used to setting little goals, and we don't want jump ahead of ourselves. "I don't think we'll put the pressure on ourselves and start thinking that if we don't win the Olympics, then it's over. We have a very young team." The Canadian Curling Association has assigned Ron Anton to coach the Sutton rink. Vera Pezer will be team psychologist.

Sutton wasn't about to get into any of the controversy about appointed coaches, an issue that has bugged former international skips such as Lukowich and Ed Werenich. "We're preparing the way they want us to and the way we want to," said Sutton diplomatically. "It's been great to have someone who knows the ropes guide us through it." "Poze did a good job last year with the defence. Unfortunately, we just didn't hit it off," said Ziemer, who stresses offence first. The Royals, who only started operations last season, have also been hit hard by injuries.

"We've got a long way to go," said Wynne. "We've done fairly well in the points column but there have been some horrendous games." Low-key style sparks Royals Clubs scrap over player (Herald writer) Players and coaches have changed, but Calgary Royals and Calgary Canucks are continuing their tradition of conflict. This time, the disagreement is about Kirk MacDo-nald, 17, a centre who helped Calgary North Stars to win the Air Canada Cup title last season. The Royals own MacDo-nald's Alberta Junior Hockey League rights but he wants to play for the Canucks. His family has indicated that it will go to court to obtain his release.

He was initially expected to play for Saskatoon of the Western League this season but returned home to pursue a U.S. college scholarship. The Canucks and Royals can't agree on a trade and the Royals, who want players to compensate for their loss, refuse to release him. The disagreement centres on the AJHL's carding system, which allows a club to keep a player's AJHL rights regardless of whether he plays for them. MacDonald signed with the Royals last year but changed his mind when former North Stars' coach Carey Bracko took over the Canucks.

Canada Safeway Limited Coach Ziemer turns down volume for winning results By Monte Stewart (Herald writer) New Calgary Royals' coach Erv Ziemer is an electrician who likes to operate at low voltage. The difference between Ziemer and predecessor Garth Malarchuk can be measured in decibels. "At the beginning, it was difficult. We were used to (Malar-chuk's) yelling," said 19-year-old right winger Jason L'Hirondelle, who had five goals and 10 assists before he was sidelined by a shoulder injury. "He (Ziemer) is quiet and, at first, it was hard for me to hear him.

When you'd get heck, he was quiet and you wouldn't think. When you hear Garth's yelling, it gets to you and gets you mad. It makes you want to work hard to make things right. "But our record now shows that we're starting to understand what (Ziemer) is saying in his little tone of voice. He's a good coach." In Ziemer's case, standings speak louder than words.

The defending Alberta Junior Hockey League champion Royals are 8-2 heading into tonight's game against Sherwood Park Crusaders (7 p.m.) at Father David Bauer Arena. JUNIOR HOCKEY "King Kong is quiet compared to Garth Malarchuk," said Royals' player personnel director Fred Wynne, who assembled the new coaching staff. "Garth was successful in his own way and we think Erv can be successful in his own way." This is Ziemer's second stint in the AJHL he was dumped by the Royals' predecessors, Calgary Spurs, four years ago. He joined the Royals this summer after Malarchuk became a Toronto Maple Leafs' scout. "It's a little different than the first time," said Ziemer, 46, who earns his living making electrical repairs for the Calgary Hospitals Group.

"There's more commitment from the coaches right down to the players." The Flin Flon, native is teamed with assistants Dave Shields, Roger Lamoreux and Rick Hare. Ziemer could be just the coach that he Royals need. Drawing from a small pool of players in rural outposts, he guided the Airdrie Rockyland 80s to a pair of Double-A midget league championships and a provincial crown in four years. Ziemer has also shown that he can make tough decisions. He fired assistant coach Gary Pozzo the only holdover from last season.

All kids under 17 can pick up a ticket for $5 when accompanied by an adult! STAMPEDERS VS OTTAWA ROUGH RIDERS SUNDAY, OCT. 13, 1991 McMAHON STADIUM 1 :00 P.M. Join the Herald Press Crew at the game for AlkNv A W7 feOO XV 'Herald PRESS CREW 1: AM-, FOR ANY SEAT IN McMAHON STADIUM FOR ALL KIDS 17 AND UNDER WHEN ATTENDING THIS OCT. 13 GAME WITH AN ADULT. BRING THE FAMILY! TICKETS ON SALE NOW FIRST COME FIRST SERVE? AT BASS, SAFEWAY AND FOOD FOR LESS STORES, AND STAMPEDER TICKET OFFICE Stamps vs.

Ottawa Rough Riders Sunday, October 13, McManon Stadium, 1 :00 p.m. 289-0258 Look for Stampeder Collector Series Posters in the Herald the day before each home and away game..