Experience a day or weekend in the country
Activities for the entire family
Games all day for everyone!
Pan Toss, Gold Rush, Claim Staking & Dirt Toss.
Pancake breakfasts, barbecue dinner Saturday, Bannock baking.
Gold nuggets are used for most prizes.
Evening music and dancing in the outdoor kitchen.
The Goldpanner Campground has antique displays, hiking trails
and prospecting. Visit the Cherryville Museum on site.
Café on site or bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds.
Gold Panning Competitions for Juniors, Teens,
Novice, Intermediate and Experts.
All day Saturday and Sunday: Youth under 16 - $5.00, Adults - $10.00
Schedule of Events 2012
Friday, May 18
Flat Pan Event, after set-up & break
Music - 7:00pm - "The Treble Makers". Jammers welcome!
Night Metal Detecting - 9:30pm
Saturday, May 19
Pancake Breakfast - 7:00-9:00am
Metal Detecting - 9:00am
Games for all - 9:00am-4:00pm
B.C. Open registration starts - 9:00am
Opening Ceremony & rules - 9:30am
Flat Panning starts - check times at booth
1st B.C. Open Eliminations - 10:00am
2nd B.C. Open Eliminations - 10:45am
3rd B.C. Open Eliminations - 11:30am
Lunch Break -12 noon-1:00pm
4th B.C. Open Eliminations - 1:00pm
5th B.C. Open Eliminations - 1:45pm
6th B.C. Open Eliminations - 2:20pm
7th B.C. Open Eliminations - 3:15pm
8th B.C. Open Eliminations - 4:00pm
Experts Grudge Match (GR tubs) - 4:30pm
Novice & Intermediate Consolation Round - 5:00pm
Beef Barbecue Dinner ($13) - 5:30pm
Bannock Baking (on roadway) - 6:30pm
Music in outdoor kitchen with "The Treble Makers".
Bring your dancing slippers. All jammers welcome!
Sunday, May 20
Pancake Breakfast - 7:00-9:00am
Metal Detecting - 9:00-9:45am
B.C. Open Finals & Flat Pan Eliminations - 10:00am
Experts 1st Round - 10:00am
Experts 2nd Round - 10:30am
Novice Finals - 11:00am
Intermediate Finals - 11:30am
Experts Consolation - 11:45am
Lunch Break - 12 noon-1:00pm
Juniors Panning (up to 13 years) - 1:00pm
Flat Pan Finals - 1:00pm
Teens (13-16 years) - 1:30pm
Pan Offs (if needed) - 2:00pm
B.C. Open Championships Pan Offs - 2:30pm
Pan Offs (if needed) - 3:00pm
Draws and Silent Auction, followed by presentations & awards - 3:30pm
Raffle Draw - 4:00pm
We try to run on time, but unforeseen things can happen.
We hope to see you there
joining in the competitions & games!
Thank you for viewing our website.
For further information
B.C. Open Chair: Ernie Erickson (1-250) 679 0009; e-mail
B.C. Open Co-Chair: Pat Yonkman
Accommodation Reservations
Goldpanner Campground, Chalets & Pioneer Village 1-250-547-2025
For further accommodation information visit www.cherryville.net
The Vernon Placer Miners' Club Sponsors
21st Annual
B.C. Open Gold Panning Championships
and Family Fun Days
May 18, 19, & 20, 2012
Goldpanner Campground, Chalets & Pioneer Village 423 Highway 6, Cherryville, B.C.
(Located just 60 km East of Vernon on Highway 6
- past Lumby en route to Nakusp)
Rules & Regulations
(Revised for 2010)
This contest is open to all gold panners in the world. There will be two primary categories,Youth and Adult. Youth will be separated into two competition categories based on age –Juniors- under age 13 and Teenagers- ages 13 to under16. A Youth who has won 3 First places on the Circuit will be moved up a category, deemed proper, as judged by 3 Professional panners from the Circuit and our Head Judge.
Adult competition categories will be defined by experience - Novice, Intermediate, and Expert. A final BC Open Competition will be held on Sunday between the top 3 Novice, Intermediate and Expert adults to determine the BC Open Gold Panning Champion. A BC Open Youth Champion will also be named.
Saturday
As the gold, gravel and all other rules are identical for all competitors, youth and adults will pan at the same time. Competitor's scores will then be separated according to their respective category.
Youth– Juniors under 13 and Teenagers 13 to under 16 years old will compete for the days prizes. The top 3 winners in each category will receive Walmart gift cards Saturday and nuggets Sunday. In addition, the score of each competitor will be combined Saturday and Sunday to determine the best panner in the Youth competition for the weekend thus being named Youth Champion.
Adults - The Novice and Intermediate elimination rounds will be held on Saturday only, to determine the top 10 finalists of each category. The rest will compete in a Consulation Round for a Nugget at 5 pm.
People not making it out on Saturday may compete in the Expert Rounds Sunday morning with the Experts.
There will be a Grudge Match competition for all Experts on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday
Youth – Juniors under 13 and Teenagers 13 to under 16 years old will compete for the days nuggets. The top 3 winners in each category will receive nugget trophies. In addition, the score of each competitor will be combined with their Saturday's score to determine a BC Open Youth Champion.
Adults - The top 10 from Novice and Intermediate eliminations and all Experts, will pan off for nuggets in their individual category. The top three from the adult finals will compete in the B.C. Open competition to declare a B.C. Open Gold Panning Champion. Those not able to compete Saturday will compete as Experts on Sunday morning as the Novice and Intermediate finals were decided Saturday. A consulation round for the Experts will take place approximately 1:15 pm after the first youth final.
AWARDS
Youth - The three panners registering the highest scores in each of the two youth categories will receive gift certificates Saturday amd nuggets for Sundays days competition. A Nugget award will be presented to the top competitor who has the highest combined score from Saturday and Sunday for the BC Open Youth Champion.
Adult - Gold nugget awards will be presented to the panners in each of the three adult categories who record the highest score in the Sunday finals. In addition, the top three panners from the finals of each category (Novice, Intermediate and Expert) will then compete to determine the BC OPEN GOLD PANNING CHAMPION. The three panners who record the highest score in this, the BC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP round will receive gold nugget awards. In addition, the winner will receive $100 in cash, and invitations to compete in the World Invitational Gold Panning Championships held in Taylor, BC; the Ft. Steele Championships and in the elimination’s for the International Gold Panning Championships in Edmonton, Alberta.
CATEGORY DEFINITIONS - takes into consideration all winnings on the Competitive Gold
Panning Circuit which includes Cherryville, Edmonton, Taylor, Ft. Steele, Yukon, U.S. and Europe.
1. The youth categories are open to all persons under the age of 16, regardless of experience. There are two youth categories, Juniors under 13 years and Teenagers13 - under 16 years. Or as deemed proper by a judging panel.
2. Note: previous youth competitors who have reached the age of 16 will advance to the adult categories as follows
A. If contestant has not placed, OR PLACED ONCE in any previous Youth event (Teenager -age 13 to 16) – move to novice.
B. If contestant placed two or more times in any previous youth events (Teenagers13 to 16) – their choice of intermediate or expert.
Once the choice is made and recorded, the decision is final for all competitions and may not be changed.
3. The novice competition is open to those panners, 16 years of age or older who have limited or no panning experience. If you pan regularly or do clean-up for a mine, you should be in Intermediate.
4. The intermediate competition is open to panners, 16 years of age or older with panning experience or who have placed first, second or third in a previous novice competition. The committee asks your co-operation in deciding for yourself the level of your experience.
5. The expert competition is open to any panner, 16 years of age or older who has placed twice in any Provincial, State or other recognized competition. Note: Any panner who has placed once in any Provincial, Territorial, State or other recognized competition, may enter either the intermediate or expert category. Once a competitor has elected to advance to the Expert category, his decision is irreversible.
6. Prior to or after a competitors first round of panning, the competition committee, chaired by the chief judge, has the sole right to review and reassign a competitor to an alternate category. The committee’s decision is final. If it is found that a competitor is in the wrong category after panning, they may also be moved.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
1. A standard 14 inch metal gold pan bearing a number will be used. Only pans supplied by the competition committee will be permitted.
2. The gravel for this contest will be selected from the banks of the Monashee River and shall be thoroughly washed and screened. The gravel will consist of equal amounts of sand and gravel (less than 2.5 cm) and will be placed in unnumbered buckets. All buckets will contain similar quantities of gravel.
3. Natural placer gold will be used. There will be 1 large piece (12 mesh), 4 medium sized flakes (16 - 18 mesh) and 10 small flakes (30-50 mesh). The medium and small flakes originate from Monashee Creek, and the large from the Klondike. PLEASE TAKE NOTE: All gold is thin flake and may float if not properly sunk to the bottom of the pan. Considerable variation will be apparent in the size of the small flakes. The gold will be randomly distributed throughout the gravel in the bucket.
COMPETITION RULES
1. When announced, the panners will select a bucket of gravel and proceed to the panning trough corresponding to their number on the registration sheet. The panner is responsible to ensure that the pan number corresponds to his registration number and the panning tub number.
2. Both pan and bucket of gravel must be placed on the ground prior to the starting judge commencing the countdown.
3. The starting judge will ask the competitors to take their position. He will then commence a countdown from 3 to 1 (3-2-1-GO). On the word ‘GO’ panners will commence panning.
(Note: panners may elect to pan only a portion of the bucket contents or pan the entire contents at one time.) Bucket must be clean at end of panning. Any gravel left will be counted against you.
4. An eight-minute time limit will be allowed for panning in each round. As all competitors in the elimination rounds have the same time limit, all categories, including all youth, can pan at the same time.
5. Competitors must place their pan on the table, with the pan located on the corresponding panning number prior to the expiration of the eight minute time limit. Please stand facing your pan with your hands at your sides. Do not move or turn, until all competititors have placed their pans on the tables. Hands must not touch the pan once the eight-minute time limit has elapsed. The Head Judge will then say “you may leave the table” A 20 point penalty will be assessed any competitor whose hands have not left their pan on the table by the eight-minute time limit.
6. INTERFERENCE WITH OTHER COMPETITORS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
You will be disqualified if by moving you disrupt a panners path to his number or cause him to loose his pan before the Head Judge has dismissed you.
7. The fastest time among two or more identical top scores will not be declared champion unless there is a tied score after the first round of pan-offs within a particular category (see Advancement to Finals).
JUDGING
1. Ten points will be awarded per flake, regardless of size, for a total possible score of 150.
2. Only gold that is clearly visible to the judges will be counted. No attempt will be made to uncover or seek gold covered by sand. If, in the opinion of the judges, one flake may be partly covering another, the gold will be moved for verification.
3. Points will then be deducted for sands and gravels remaining in the competitor's pan. Up to a maximum of 9.9 points may be deducted. Points deducted will be predetermined by the judges and calculated by measuring the amounts of sand and gravel remaining. Gravel left in the bucket after time has been called will be assessed a penalty of 10 points per centimeter.
ADVANCEMENT TO FINALS AND BC OPEN
1. A maximum of ten panners in the Intermediate and Novice categories, plus all Expert panners, will advance to the finals to determine the winners of their respective categories.
2. A tie will be declared only when identical scores occur when determining:
a. The competitors to advance to the finals of each category
b. The competitors to advance into the finals of the BC Open
c. The placing (first, second or third) of competitors in each of the finals and the BC Open.
A new contest (a pan-off) will be conducted between the tying panners. The same material will be used as stated in rules 3 and 4 but the time limit will be reduced to 4½ minutes. The rules will remain the same.
If after the first round of a pan-off, there still remains a tie within a category, a second pan-off will be held. The same material will be used as stated in rules 3 and 4 but the competitor with the most gold showing, in the fastest time will be declared the winner. Panning must be completed with the pan placed on the judges' table within a 4 1/2 minute time limit. Each panner WILL BE TIMED from the word 'GO' to the time hands are free from the pan when placed on the table. Two minutes will be added to the competitors time for each flake lost. NOTE: Deductions for sand will only be applied if there is a tie in total time.
Should any contestant desire to register a complaint pertaining to any scope of this contest, they should do so prior to the completion of the elimination rounds. The point or points in question will be decided by a show of hands among participating finalist contestants only. The judges and organizers only responsibility will be to adjust or maintain the rule in question according to the preference of the majority.
Head Judges decision is final. He/She may defer to a Committee of 3 selected Professionals for help.
If you are missed on the sheets please speak up immediately before the competition goes any further.
Mistakes do happen and we would like to clear them up as soon as possible.
Spring Newsletter 2012
Hi!, and a very Happy New Year one and all!
It’s that time of year again when we should be getting ready for the coming panning season. Time to burn the pans and get the rest of the gear ready, but wait a minute here, we just got winter!
I hope you are all managing to stay on the roads, and keep warm. This winter is just another reason to believe that the weather forecasters really have very little more knowledge than any one else. Who knows just what kind of a spring we’re going to get?!
I hope everyone is looking forward to the up coming B.C. Open. Things are falling in place, but as yet we have no one to run the metal detecting. I’m still working on that and I hope by the time of the Feb. meeting I will have something positive to report. The schedule is ready, and at this time I have some one working on the new poster, and if all goes well it will be ready for Feb., and we can hand some out.
All the prizes are in place - the nuggets that is - and the volunteers will be starting to gather the other ones as soon as Donna deems it time.
Is there anyone out there who would like to take a try at running the metal detecting? If so would you please e-mail me, or call 1-250-679-0009 and we’ll make the necessary arrangements.
Again a very big thank you to all who have volunteered for a job, and remember folks, this is the 150th anniversary of gold mining in the Monashee, and particularly Cherry Creek; and the 21st year of the B.C. Open Gold Panning Championships. The dates again are May 18, 19 and 20, at the Gold Panner Campground in Cherryville.
I look forward to seeing you all there. If any one can help with the set up, it would be gratefully appreciated.
Ernie Erickson, 2012 Chair B.C. Open
Pat Yonkman, 2012 Vice-Chair B.C. Open
Tickets will be sold for next Game
as first one starts and will continue
as such all day. Players must be
present at ticket booth when tickets
purchased. Buy for one game at a time
NO REFUNDS if you miss an event.
DO NOT buy tickets for a games event
near your panning time. We will not wait.
Claim Staking-Listen for the start and finish time for each claim staking event. After 25 stakes have been sold, a time of 5 minutes each will be given to complete your staking and return hammer to starting line.
No heel to toe or other measuring devise to be used or you will be disqualified.
Only one trip down field for each event.
BC Open Winners
2011 Diana Olsen-Mackinnon
2010 Willie Sherstobitoff
2009 Tony Lizoguboff
2008 Al McWilliams
2007 Al McWilliams
2006 Al McWilliams
2005 Al McWilliams
2004 Joe Wilflingsider
2003 Joe Wilflingsider
2002 Scott Rea
2001 Willie Sherstobitoff
2000 Joe Wilflingsider
1999 Iris Pozdnikoff
1998 Bill MacDonald
1997 Bill MacDonald
1996 Iris Pozdnikoff
1995 Karl Ortlepp
1994 Joe Wilflingsider
1993 Joe Wilflingsider
1992 Joe Kaspariunas
NO GATE ADMISSION
OPEN TO EVERYONE
This page was last updated on: April 7, 2012
2011 Raffle Winners
1st Prize
1/2 Gold Nugget
Barbara Mathers of Lumby, B.C.
2nd Prize
Gold Drop Necklace
Pat Kirkland of
Lavington, B.C.
3rd Prize
Metal Detector
Stuart Cruikshank of
Edmonton, Alberta
4th Prize
Miner Bear with Gold
Barry Scott of
Slave Lake, Alberta
Vernon Placer Miners Club
Vernon Placer Miners Association Executive:
President Merv Mathers
Vice President Louis Yonkman
Treasurer Sherry LaValley
Secretary Cal Olsson
Membership Donna Smith
BCMA Rep Bill Allan
The Vernon Placer Miners Association is a registered society working out of the North Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. To the best of ur ability we promote placer prospecting/mining of all sorts: recreational, small scale, commercial and industrial. We help each other out with our aspirations in this direction.
For the most part we meet every FIRST Tuesday of the month at the Peace Lutheran hall at 1204-30Ave, Vernon, B.C., except January, July, August & September. We are a group interested in the healthy outdoor lifestyle that goes with placer gold prospecting and mining. Our members include people of all ages and energy levels. Every May long weekend we put on the B.C. Open Gold Panning Championships at the Gold-panners Campground in Cherryville. Each year we have educational sessions, put on placer panning demonstrations at local events as well as placer mining/prospecting courses. We are a good bunch of people fellowshipping together regularly at meeting, picnics, potluck suppers and group outings. Come on out and join us, your whole family will have a lot of fun. Dues - Family $20.00 per year.
If you are interested in gold panning or metal detecting and would like further information, feel free to come to a meeting or contact:
Kelowna: Fred Lubberts at 250-765-3542 e-mail
Lake Country: Merv Lewis at 250-766-3326 e-mail
If your organization would like a demonstration on panning or have your organization do panning (there will be a charge for the gold used, which you will be able to keep). Contact: Merv Mathers at 250-547-9690 e-mail.
If you are interested in Metal Detecting, or requiring help or information on it, our Club has a representative who would help you.
BC Open Gold Panning Championships Founder
Clare Hewson
© Copyright 2002-2012 Cherryville Publishing & Promotions.
All rights reserved.
Elimination times circled - please be on time!
