Forfar Young Curlers shared a special afternoon on the ice in poignant memory of one of their number at the first Jan Wilson Bonspiel.
The inaugural event at the town’s ice rink was a memorial to teenage jockey Jan, who died in a Yorkshire flat fire in September 2009 having forged the beginnings of what looked set to be a successful career in the saddle.
A fund set up by her farming parents, Drew and Margaret, has generated more than £25,000, and the Wilsons were at the rink to make a donation to the young curlers as well as presenting the first recipients of the bonspiel with the specially commissioned trophy.
“Jan curled with Forfar Young Curlers and was also a member at Aberlemno,” said Mrs Wilson.
“One of her best curling memories was at the centenary of Aberlemno in 2006 when there were three generations of the family on the ice Jan, her dad and her grandad, Angus.”
She added, “To see the 32 young curlers playing in the bonspiel, some of them for the first time, was a credit to the people who give up their time to run clubs like this so that the young folk can get enjoyment from their sport.
“The circumstances are sad for us, but all these things are happening because of Jan not because of Drew and I.
“The curling and all the other clubs which the Jockey Jan fund has supported were things which Jan did and enjoyed, and when we collected money at the church we hoped we would be able to give something to those groups.
“It’s snowballed from there through the website (www.jockeyjan.co.uk) and other things, like the sale of cards and caps, and it’s nice to see young people getting enjoyment out of activities like curling, just as Jan did before she went south to start out on her career,” added Mrs Wilson.
Jim Keillor, who leads the team of stalwarts that organises weekly sessions for the thriving club, said the £450 cheque from the Jockey Jan fund would be used to further the group’s activities.