Canadian curler Ben Hebert, a two-time Olympian, visited the Weyburn Curling Club on January 14 for the Rural Rocks event, where he shared tips with young players. The lead on Team Jacobs discussed his excitement for a third Olympic appearance in Italy next year. Hebert, born in Regina, reflected on his career and the honor of representing Canada again.
On January 14, Team Jacobs arrived at the Weyburn Curling Club in Saskatchewan for the Rural Rocks event, organized by the UFA Agricultural Community Foundation. The initiative allowed young curlers to interact with top athletes, including Olympic medalists, and receive guidance from them. Ben Hebert, the team's lead and a Regina native, spoke positively about the experience, emphasizing the value of inspiring the next generation in his home province. “Yeah, it was amazing. I mean, anytime we get to go back into rural Saskatchewan, kind of where I grew up and do those junior clinics you know, pretty special to see the support we have kind of all over the country and certainly for me being from Saskatchewan,” Hebert said. He added that sharing even one tip in the brief session could make a lasting impact on the kids. Hebert is widely regarded as the greatest Canadian male lead curler of all time. He began his career in Regina, representing Saskatchewan with two SaskTel Tankard wins and appearances at the Brier in 2005 and 2006. After relocating to Alberta, his successes mounted: he claimed the 2008 World Curling Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and the 2008 and 2009 Briers with Team Martin. That team also won the 2009 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, securing gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. In 2017, Hebert joined Team Koe to win the Olympic trials again, competing in Pyeongchang 2018 where they placed fourth. Now with the newly formed Team Jacobs, he earned qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo by winning the 2025 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. The team has shown promise, finishing second at the 2024 National and 2025 Grand Slam of Curling events, then capturing the 2025 Montana’s Brier for a World Championship spot, where they took bronze. At 42, Hebert described the thrill of returning to the Olympics. “I think that's the unique thing about the Olympics is they're all so different... But this is a big unknown and me going into something like this is going to be really exciting,” he noted. He also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to bring his family, allowing his older children to grasp the event's significance. “It's a really huge honour to be able to represent Canada in curling at the Olympics,” Hebert concluded. The 2026 Games are scheduled from February 6 to 22 in Italy.
