Qualifying for the SaskPower Scotties provincial championship is never easy.
Moose Jaw’s Penny Barker knows that all to well.
This weekend Barker’s Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre foursome sure made it look easy as they won four straight games to advance from the A event at the SaskPower women’s southern playdown in Melville.
“We didn’t miss anybody. When you go through the A, I guess that’s how it goes,” said Barker of running a gauntlet of quality teams in Melville.
“Everybody played really well and it just seemed like everything was clicking. You hope that everything goes well around this time of year, so it was nice that it did.”
Barker and her rink of third Susan Lang, second Melissa Hoffman and lead Danielle Sicinski beat Candace Chisholm from Regina 10-8 in the A event final. They beat Balgonie’s Mandy Selzer 10-5 in the A semi Saturday to advance.
Moose Jaw’s other entrant at southerns, Lorraine Arguin, bowed out in the C event when she lost 9-5 Selzer.
It will be Barker’s second trip to a SaskPower Scotties Tournament of Hearts women’s provincial championship.
She qualified two years ago through their standing on the Sask. Curling Tour.
The provincial Scotties will begin on Jan. 23 in Balgonie.
Barker is hoping that her rink can stay hot heading into provincials after putting together four strong games at southerns.
“At southerns you have a lot of competition a week-and-a-half before provincials and you hope that will help bring your game up,” said Barker.
“The direct berth is really nice, but there’s not a lot to play in (before provincials start).”
Arguin and her Moose Jaw rink of third Donda Lee Deis, second Shelly Urquhart and lead Aline Kirk beat Murray 9-2 in the B event and then lost 8-6 to Deanna Doig Saturday before bowing out of the triple-knockout even with a loss to Selzer.
At the SaskPower Women’s Northern Playdowns in North Battleford, Trish Pauslen beat Moose Jaw product Ros Stewart 7-6 in the A final.
Stewart lost in the B semis and then lost a C event final 10-2 to Jill Shumay. Brett Barber also qualified through the C event, while Nancy Martin qualified in the B event.
