Tenpin Bowling
The players come from all over Victoria to play and practice.
Generally, home base is Oz Tenpin Bowling Centre 53 Miller Street Epping and we play 6 games in a day unless otherwise stated.
All VRI members are welcome to join in the fun – come and play! You may be good enough to gain a spot in our state side, which plays off against other interstate sides, for the Commissioners Shield and other trophies.
email vri@vri.org.au or call 1300 883 763 should you like further information about becoming involved with the VRI Tenpin members!
VRI Team Manager’s ARI 2025 (50th year) Report
The VRI Tenpin Bowling Club hosted the 50th ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships at Wynciy Keon Park from the 2nd of March to the 7th of March 2025
Sunday 2nd March 2024 bowlers and guests from Queensland, Victoria & New South Wales attended an official welcoming brunch at the Epping RSL where all players were formally introduced.
After the brunc all bowlers and visitors returned to their accommodation to change from collar & tie into their bowling gear in readiness for the Preview Tournament as 2.30pmpm.
The Preview tournament is the first Round of the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters Competition.
As Team Manager & Diane as Secretary we had to attend Wyncity Bowling Centre for a manager’s meeting at 1.00pm to confirm submitted Averages & Handicaps for all states and to be advised of any changes to rules.
At 3.00pm 65 bowlers began to bowl 3 games to qualify for the Individual Masters.
After the 3 games were completed, all states returned to their accommodation for the evening to do whatever they wanted to do.
At 8.00am on Monday all bowlers were back at Wyncity Bowling Centre for the start of the Teams competition.
Prior to the start of play team photos were taken.
DAY ONE
Victoria started well and all states were equal after the first round however as the day progressed Victoria pulled away.
Day One Totals
1st. VIC 111 pts
2nd NSW 101 pts
3rd QLD 76 pts
DAY TWO
Victoria pulled away in the morning session and were leading NSW by 28.5 points. However late in the day NSW pulled back the lead to be only trailing by 1.5 point
Day Two Totals
1st VIC 206.5 pts
2nd NSW 205.0 pts
3rd QLD 164.5 pts
DAY THREE
Vic started very well and increased their lead to 8.5pts after the first round and then steadily increased their lead throughout the day.
Victoria pulled away in the afternoon to run out comfortable winners
Final Results
1st VIC 328.5 pts
2nd NSW 290.0 pts
3rd QLD 245.5 pts
Thursday was a rest day for all states in readiness for the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters on Friday.
Victoria had a total of 16 bowlers in both divisions qualifying for the top 24 Bowlers.
Each bowler bowled 6 games to attempt to qualify for the top 16.
11 of the bowlers qualified for the top 16.
It was then like a Tennis Draw with a 2-game knockout to get to the final 2 in each division.
In the Scratch Division Victoria’s Pino Mascetti (VIC) played Wolf Miller from New South Wales in the final with Pino Mascetti victorious.
In the Handicap Division 2 New South Wales bowler played off in the final, Zoe Bird & Chris Boyle with Zoe Bird victorious.
After the Masters Finals all bowlers went back to their accommodation to get changed into their formal attire and go to the Farewell/Presentation Dinner at Epping RSL.
The following bowlers received ARI Awards:
Hayden Collings 269, Warren Rogers 246, Bob Leis 233 & Josh Holt 287 - High Team Game with Handicap 1035.
Pino Mascetti & Josh Holt were named in the All-Australian Scratch Team
Victorian Team Award Winners
The “Mary Award”:
Hayden Collings 269, Warren Rogers 246, Bob Leis 233 & Josh Holt 287
The Norm Bowen Award:
Rob Bate
The Leis Family Award:
Rob Bate
I would also like to congratulate the following people who received life membership & honorary life memberships
Life Members:
Norm Krajcer
Rob Bate
Jeff Taylor
Honorary Life Members:
Pam O’Neill (Sponsor of our Easter & Christmas Raffles for in excess of 22 years)
Sandra Hesketh
Michelle Bate
I would also like to Diane McCaig for the unnoticed work she does and did with the hosting of the ARI Tournament and putting up with me.
Peter Dwyer, Michelle Bate, Cindy Newell, Kerry Ruffels, Greg Hebbard and everyone who helped with the raffles and supporting the team.
It was good to finally break the drought after 11 years especially on the 50th anniversary of the competition.
The 51st ARI Championships will be held at Gosford NSW from the 1st to 6th March 2026.
John McCaig
Team Manager
VRI TENPIN BOWLING 2024
Victorian Travel Cup Challenge
The VRI Tenpin Bowling Club entered 2 Mixed team of 6 bowlers to compete in the 2024 Travel Cup Challenge held in Shepparton over the weekend of 7th & 8th September 2024. The VRI competed against teams from Shepparton, Morwell, Chirnside Park, Keon Park (2 Clubs) and Bendigo. Eight games were played on Saturday 7th September 2024 and 5 games were bowled on Sunday 8th September 2024. Teams had a set rotation of bowlers and lanes after each game.
VRI No.2 won the trophy after leading from start to finish with the result going down to the last round. It was a good weekend hosted by the Shepparton Wanderers who suffered a tragedy a week earlier with the passing of Len Jeffries, a club stalwart. At the delegates meeting on the Saturday night, an award was named in Len’s honour, to promote the juniors in this competition. The VRI will be hosting the Travel Cup Challenge in 2025 at Wyncity Keon Park from 13th to 14th
September 2025. A great effort by all VRI bowlers as we have only been in this competition for 5 tournaments and have won on three occasions.
ARI Tenpin 2024 Report
The VRI Tenpin Bowling Club went to Caboolture Queensland to compete in the 49th ARI Championships. Sunday 10th March 2024 bowlers and guests from Queensland, Victoria & New South Wales attended an official welcoming breakfast at the Caboolture Sports Club where all players were formally introduced. After the breakfast all bowlers and visitors returned to their accommodation to change from collar & tie into their bowling gear in readiness for the Preview Tournament as 1.00pm. The Preview tournament is the first Round of the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters Competition. As Team Manager & Diane as Secretary we had to attend Caboolture Tenpin Bowling Centre for a manager’s meeting at 12.30pm to confirm submitted Averages & Handicaps for all states and to be advised of any changes to rules.
At 1.00pm 64 bowlers began to bowl 3 games to qualify for the Individual Masters. Victorian bowler Josh Holt bowled the perfect game of 300 during the qualifying games. After the 3 games were completed, all states returned to their accommodation for the evening to do whatever they wanted to do.
Teams competition. Prior to the start of play the National Anthem was played, a Sportsman’s Oath read
and the Team Photos.
DAY ONE
Victoria started well and were joint leaders with Queensland after the first round however as the day progressed Queensland pulled away.
Day One Totals
1st. QLD 114.5 pts
2nd VIC 96.0 pts
3rd NSW 77.5 pts
DAY TWO
Was an even day with Victoria gaining ground on Queensland but then Queensland would pull away again. Victoria reduced the margin by 3 points at the end of day 2. Ralph Strecker from Queensland bowled 300 in the first game of the day (Round 9) The teams were bowling reasonably well and were in striking distance.
Day Two Totals
1st QLD 226.5 pts
2nd VIC 223.5 pts
3rd NSW 188 pts
DAY THREE
Vic started well and got within striking distance of the lead by 7.5 points at the lunch break. In game 18, 2 bowlers bowled the perfect game of 300. Brodie Andreson (NSW) & Ralph Strecker (QLD) bowled his 2nd 300 game of the tournament. Queensland pulled away in the remaining 4 games of the tournament.
Final Results
1st QLD 317 pts
2nd VIC 287.5 pts
3rd VIC 259.5 pts
Thursday was a rest day for all states in readiness for the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters on Friday. Victoria had a total of 14 bowlers in both divisions qualifying for the top 24 Bowlers. Each bowler
bowled 6 games to attempt to qualify for the top 16. 11 of the bowlers qualified for the top 16. It was then like a Tennis Draw with a 2-game knockout to get to the final 2 in each division. In the Scratch Division Victoria’s Ashley Stace played Wolf Miller from New South Wales in the final with Ashley Stace victorious. In the Handicap Division 2 Queenslanders, Bob Doyle & John Necker played in the final with Bob Doyle victorious. After the Masters Finals all bowlers went back to their
accommodation to get changed into their formal attire and go to the Farewell/Presentation Dinner at
Caboolture Sports Club.
The following bowlers received ARI Awards:
Courtney Stace – The Gavin Christensen / Peter Forster High Game with Handicap 329
Courtney Stace 307, Pino Mascetti 288, Rob Bate 262 & Ashley Stace 214 - High Team Game with
Handicap 1087.
Ashley Stace was named in the All-Australian Scratch Team
Courtney Stace was named in the All-Australian Handicap Team
Victorian Team Award Winners
The “Mary Award”: Courtney Stace 307, Pino Mascetti 288, Rob Bate 262 & Ashley Stace 214
The Norm Bowen Award: Ashley Stace
The Leis Family Award: Ian Strahan
I would like to thank the following spectators for supporting the team:
Peter Dwyer, Michelle Bate, Cindy Newell, Kerryn Richter Sandra Hesketh, Rhoda Styles, Haylee & Margo Stace & Greg Hebbard. Although we did not win it was great to catch up with the bowlers and guests form Queensland & New
South Wales and more importantly, hand the Horse’s Arse Trophy & Boomerang to New South Wales.
The 50th ARI Championships will be held at Wyncity Keon Park in Melbourne from the 2nd to 7th March 2025.
John McCaig, Team Manager, Tenpin VRI Bowling
ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships 2023
VRI 2023 Team
ARI Tenpin Bowling Championships 2023 - VRI Team Manager’s Report
The VRI Tenpin Bowling Club went to Wetherill Park NSW to compete in the 48th ARI Championships.
Sunday 5th March 2023 bowlers and guests from Queensland, Victoria & New South Wales attended an official welcoming breakfast at the St. Johns Park Bowling Club where all players were formally introduced.
After the breakfast all bowlers and visitors returned to their accommodation to change from collar & tie into their bowling gear in readiness for the Preview Tournament as 3.00pm.
The Preview tournament is the first Round of the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters Competition.
As Team Manager & Diane as Secretary we had to attend to a Manager’s at 2.30pm meeting to confirm submitted Averages & Handicaps for all states and to be advised of any changes to rules.
At 3.00pm 79 bowlers began to bowl 3 games to qualify for the Individual Masters.
After the 3 games were completed all states returned to the their accommodation for thew evening to do whatever they wanted to do.
At 8.00 all bowlers were back at Bowlarama Wetherill Park for the start of the Teams competition. Prior to the start of play the National Anthem was played, a Sportsman’s Oath read and the Team Photos.
DAY ONE
Victoria started slowly and began to pick up in the last round
Day One Totals
1st. NSW 112.5pts
2nd QLD 103.5pts
3rd VIC 72pts
DAY TWO
Was an up and down day with the team falling a little bit further behind.
NSW & QLD were having a good tussle with the lead changing a few times.
The teams weren’t bowling bad but some bowlers from the other states were bowling just that little bit better aided by handicap.
Day Two Totals
1st NSW 213pts
2nd QLD 202pts
3rd VIC 161pts
DAY THREE
Vic started well and got within striking distance of 2nd place however had an up and down afternoon.
NSW South Wales started to pull away from Queensland.
Final Results
1st NSW 315.5pts
2nd QLD 291.5pts
3rd VIC 257pts
Thursday was a rest day for all states in readiness for the Individual Scratch & Handicap Masters on Friday.
Victoria had a total of 18 bowlers in both divisions qualifying for the top 24 Bowlers.
Each bowler bowled 6 games to attempt to qualify for the top 16.
14 of the bowlers qualified for the top 16.
It was then similar to a Tennis Draw with a 2 game knockout to get to the final 2 in each division.
In the Scratch Division Victoria’s James Bowles played Aaron Edwards from Queensland in the final with Aaron Edwards victorious.
In the Handicap Division 2 Victorians, Kyle Bate & Jeff Taylor played in the final with Jeff Taylor victorious.
It was a great effort by the Victorian bowlers in the finals but special mention must go to Jeff Taylor for his determination and perseverance. Jeff won the Scratch Masters at Caboolture in 2015.
After the Masters Finals all bowlers went back to their accommodation to get changed into their formal attire and go to the Farewell/Presentation Dinner at St. Johns Park Bowling Club.
The following bowlers received ARI Awards:
James Bowles Tom Piper Award High Game Scratch 289
Paul Jones 258, Norm Ruffels 235, Jessica McInnes 284 & Sean Ruffels 276 High Team Game with Handicap 1053.
James Bowles was named in the All Australian Scratch Team
Kyle Bate was named in the All Australian Handicap Team
Victorian Team Award Winners
The “Mary Award” :
Paul Jones 258, Norm Ruffels 235, Jessica McInnes 284, Sean Ruffels 276
The Norm Bowen Award:
Kyle Bate
The Leis Family Award:
Kyle Bate
Sean Ruffels
I would like to thank the following spectators for supporting the team:
Dianne Dibiase, Peter Dibiase, Vanessa Bate, Kerry Ruffels, Fiona Wilkinson Debbie O’Connell, Cindy Newell, Jeff Taylor, Sandra Hesketh, Michelle Bate, Peter Dwyer, Amanda Stace, Cheryl Brown, Greg Hebbard.
A special thanks to Sandra Hesketh for assisting with the teams’ lunches each day.
A Special thanks to Michelle Bate for organising the team accommodation.
Although we did not win it was great to catch up with the bowlers and guests form Queensland & New South Wales.
The 49th ARI Championships will be held in Caboolture from the 10th to 16th March 2024.
John McCaig
Team Manager
