55 plus games draws 1,300 competitors

Around 1,300 athletes registered to compete in the Manitoba 2025 55+ Games from June 3 to 5.

Jacob Friesen, 84, has been bowling for five years and the night before the games started, he already had plans to go to the bowling alley to practice for his games the next day.

“I love bowling and meeting new people,” he said. “As long as they (55+ year olds) can do it, they should be proud of themselves.”

Steinbach has hosted the games in 1993, 2011, and now 2025. The 55+ games began in 1983.

“Our community is really pushing to be active,” said Audrey Harder, executive director of the Pat Porter Active Living Centre.

The games also represent the first opportunity to showcase the new Southeast Event Centre.

The custom medals will feature local Steinbach highlights.

“They’re all about Steinbach,” said Harder. “It’s got the car it says, ‘It’s worth the trip!’ We’ve heard it since we were all kids, and the 55+ community created the saying so we thought it’s great to bring people back to where that began.”

She said the blue in the medal represents the prairie sky, and the red represents the Steinbach car monument.

Close to 200 volunteers helped organize the event.

“The best thing about the 55+ games and all of the competitions sometimes it’s just as easy as doing a walk and competing against yourself,” said Harder. “With all the other sports I hear about or see, it’s always physical. This is kind of a blend.”

Events include golf, pickleball, bowling, bocce ball, lawn bowling, slo-pitch, predicted walk & run, horseshoes, cards, billiards, swimming, track, table tennis, wall darts, corn hole, and beach volleyball.

The Mason Hoop Dancers performed at the opening ceremony on June 2 using multiple hoops in their interpretative dance filled with Indigenous storytelling.

On the June 4 banquet, they will be announcing where the next 55+ games’ location will be held.