A Manitoba inventor and entrepreneur may have found the perfect rec room solution for curling lovers.
Ron Tibble, a former grain buyer from Russell, Man., invented the miniature curling game in 2001 after he was sidelined by a shoulder injury.
“I made one in my basement because I didn’t have enough room for a pool table. Then I started making some for friends, added some changes and the next thing I knew I was shipping them all across the world,” Tibble said.
“We’re doing orders right now for Japan and Finland.”
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A long-standing prairie tradition, and arguably one of the greatest finesse sports, curling has provided generations of farmers with a fun, relaxing diversion that keeps them limber and fit during the long winter months, as well as something else to talk about other than grain prices.
Tibble thinks his invention will be ideal for curling fanatics, children new at the sport or those who are getting on in years and worry about slipping on the ice.
The game features a made-to-scale polymer curling surface and miniature rocks machined from stainless steel with a variety of finishes that include nickel and ten-carat gold plating and the classic red and blue.
He has sold more than 325 units, with prices ranging from $1,200 for a basic model to $3,000 for the Limited Edition.
The games are handcrafted from oak, pine and melamine by a local cabinet maker whose hobby is building model airplanes that fly. Tibble then assembles the 10-foot-long, 100 pound tables like a piece of fine furniture. The Limited Edition has a built-in stereo system, wine and beer chiller and storage cupboards, while the eight-foot Junior model is easily folded for storage. A portable model sells for $999.
Tibble said it takes 16 hours to make one game. Production of specific parts, such as the rocks, is contracted out.
Unlike shuffleboard, which uses powdered wax, the one pound rocks in Tibble’s game slide on tiny plastic beads the size of a grain of fine sand. The surface is adjusted by tightening nuts on a series of steel brackets underneath the game, which bow it in toward the centre.
He said this innovation makes all the difference. By mimicking the “curl” of a spinning rock, the game captures the essence of what makes curling such an intriguing sport for players and fans.
“What makes the game is the adjustable curl,” he said. “My sales really increased when I came up with that in 2002.”
A static charge applied to the underside during the manufacturing process helps the pebbles stay in place, providing a consistent surface throughout the length of the table.
Married with two children, Tibble also rents houseboats on Lake of the Prairies during the summer. In the six years he has spent manufacturing the game, he has built up an extensive marketing and distribution chain.
Along with a full-colour catalogue and 19 dealers across Canada, he also operates a website at www.coolcurling.com.
He plans to incorporate an e-commerce function that will allow international customers to buy the games on-line.
His target market, mainly adults aged 45 to 75, also includes curling clubs, legion halls, lounges, pubs and seniors’ homes. A good portion of sales comes from fundraising raffles. Customers can have promotional logos applied under the playing surface at centre ice.
His latest marketing strategy is a sponsorship deal with Manitoba curling great Jeff Stoughton. Tibble also demonstrates his product at curling events.
“I just came back from the Canadian Open at MTS Centre. Then we’ve got the Brier and then the world’s. I usually do three or four major events a year. Sales are picking up every year,” he said.
