World Bush Championship belts return to Queen City

Tomlinson, Savage, Tardiff, Christoph of Regina, Sk.

 















And we’re back.

While the priority here at Mangy Coyote Media has always been to promote the sport of disc golf in Saskatchewan, building an audience has been crucial to establishing any kind of interest. We’re not there yet, but there are some big projects on the horizon.

Spirits are high. Energy is strong. And we’re at a point where we either do this thing or we don’t.

Therefore, throw us a follow on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe on Youtube, then filter through a few videos. There’s music, documentary, culture and, of course, disc golf. Even more content is on the horizon, much of which will be announced in a later post.

World Bush Disc Golf Championship ‘25

Fow now, how could we forget?

The World Bush Disc Golf Championship of the Universe was held in late October at Rocanville Trail DGC with 11 teams in a competitive field. The roster of teams dropped from previous years, but those who attended enjoyed a weekend including two nights of parties, a phenomenal mid-point banquet and glow golf on one of the province’s newest tracks in Moosomin, Sask.

But the tournament was the highlight. The field may have been thin, but it was certainly stacked. It included seven former champions alongside a handful of Rick Goraluk Memorial attendants. The McKays - Ian, Gage, Triston, Chase, Tammy (not playing… this year) were there. The family, alongside Arlen and Jeri-Ann Brownbridge - have become staples at the annual Bush Dubs event.

So have the Mountain Bros, Taylor and Andrew. And “The Flash” Murray Gordon, who finally had a partner to play with this year; the irrefutable Lee E. Slater.

Regina phenoms Evan Drader and Dan Fortier claimed - or I should say reclaimed – the Title Belts, edging out perennial contenders but never-defenders, Cody Christoph and Steve Tomlinson. Drader is now a three-time champ, with Fortier joining Ian and Gage McKay with two title victories.

Tomlinson’s duo was boosted by a pair of tournament aces; the first in Bush Dubs history. The lanky city-kid nicked the tones on Hole 6 in Round 1 and Hole 1 in Round 2 to earn some quick cash and break the seal on holes-in-one at Rocanville Trail. The plug on the first hole of the course was previously thought to be an impossible task. So much for myths.

But the story of the tournament may be the bitter pill the Kings of Laurent had to swallow. Mangy Coyote and his boy, Josh, hovered within reach of the top through to the final six holes of the two-round tournament. We were in contention for second, but were confident third was locked.





The McKays had other plans

After a surprisingly inadequate opening round of plus-2, Ian and Gage – the father-son Stun Guns – blasted through the course in Round 2, collecting what may be one of the lowest scores in tournament history; minus-15 for a gross score of minus-13. It was enough to push the so-called Kings to fourth and claim the final podium spot.

The bronze medalists also earned the tournament’s newest prize, the O.S.C. Award, presented to the team with the greatest improvement from the first to the second round. No one was touching a 13-stroke spread.

The Rick Goraluk Memorial for Flight 2 went to Andrew Savage and Ryan Tardiff of Regina after the McKays chose third place and its associated pay-out instead of a Flight 2 victory.

And for the second time, Brownbridge won the Fuji Tang Trophy, this time alongside her beau, Arlen Nickel.

Come get your kicks in ‘26

The 2025 World Bush Disc Golf Championship awards ceremony included the announcement that the tournament, which will enter its ninth edition, is returning to a one-day, two-round format. Although this will require some scheduling challenges, the event will return to late September for added evening daylight.

But the real news was the planned establishment of a PDGA X-Tier event on the Sunday. “The Gauntlet” will be a singles competition with all the benefits the PDGA provides its tournament participants.

Sign up for one or both. The entire weekend will be as classic as ever.

But something even bigger is on the horizon.

Something never done in Saskatchewan before, possibly in any sport.

But we will let that percolate.

– MCM



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