Cornhole pros compete for $10,000 purse at Airdrie, Alta., event

The Airdrie Curling Club swapped stones for beanbags this weekend.

With the American Cornhole League in town, the first ever ACL event was held in Western Canada.

For Aaron Giroux, director of the Alberta Conference of the American Cornhole League, it was a big moment for the sport and for him.

“I'm happy to see it happen here,” Giroud said. “Having the opportunity to bring this event to my hometown of Calgary is a dream come true.”

Cornhole is a lawn game in which players or teams take turns throwing beanbags into a raised corner board with a hole in the end.

The goal is to get the most points by getting the bag onto the board or passing it through the hole.

If this sounds like a fun way to take a break from your summer backyard barbecue, you're on the right track.

Chris Keiper traveled with a friend from North Dakota to Calgary to see how Canadians make corn cobs.

“We've been playing it in the States for a long time,” he said.

“I've probably been playing for 10 years, drinking beer in the backyard with my friends,” Keiper added. “I've been in Vegas, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, Northeast, Pennsylvania and I don't know – it's a fun sport.

“You dive right into it, it's competitive and you get addicted.”

While hundreds of fans like Keiper participated in various events throughout the weekend, the weekend event was also part of the pro league. About twenty Canadian professionals participated and tested the $10,000 purse.

“I was the first pro in Canada,” said Connor Weiss. “It's the Canadian Pro Tour, so it's like golf. We all go around like a circus. We all have full-time jobs, but this is our tour.

According to Giroux, the tour will return in October with another event where the pros will compete for a $25,000 purse.

For more information on the American Cornhole League, go here.