A new event has high ambitions, with a desire to go national.

Hosting events in Winnipeg, Brandon, and now Winkler; the Manitoba ShootOut features individual, team, and association-level hockey sharpshooter competitions, with all funds towards their local youth hockey chapter.

Although he lives in Winnipeg, Jeff Chapman, President of Manitoba ShootOut was born in Morden and raised in Carman. With a connection to the area, Chapman was hoping to bring the ShootOut here earlier, but it wasn't in the cards.

"I was coming out there to see if we could get this as part of Hometown Hockey, but there just wasn't enough time on the calendar to get it all arranged. As part of that process, I was able to get introduced to Curwin Friesen, and he saw merit in the idea."

Green Valley Equipment CEO, Curwin Friesen, suggested they have sponsored team events; Chapman was keen to the idea, having GVE host the event all in support of Pembina Valley Minor Hockey.

Only in the first year of its genesis, Chapman believes it has the merits to reach further than just Manitoba.

"There is a lot to this below the surface, with the right corporate sponsorship behind it, I think it could become national if not international in scope. We would find out every year, who is the best hockey sharpshooters; we could run in annually and have a lot of fun and raise a lot of money for youth hockey."

Manitoba ShootOut was held at GVE in Morden all week with a full day event today, and from April 15 - 20, in Carman.