Sept8-Opening day action in the Spring River Beef Bowl at Panorama Lanes. (Photo Courtesy Chris Brown)

By Chris Brown

Bowlers battling for Beef Bowl buckle

Sep 8, 2023 | 3:35 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Seventy-five of the top bowlers from Western Canada are in Medicine Hat this weekend for the inaugural Spring River Beef Bowl.

Tournament committee member Conner Leavitt says this is the first elite cash tournament held in Medicine Hat in more than 20 years.

He hopes this is the start of a new frame for local bowling and that this event could join the Western Canadian Bowling Tour next year.

“Five-pin bowling is kind of making a little bit of a comeback. Especially in Medicine Hat, we’ve got some people kind of out of retirement coming to bowl and then we’re also trying to build the youth program,” he says.

“A lot of the money from this event goes towards that and helps that, especially locally. Give people a place to go to hangout. It’s a great venue, there’s lots of room, come down, bowl some games, it’s lots of fun always. So we’re trying to really push that and get that growing and then from there grow some leagues, get more people into tournaments.’

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The action at Panorama Lanes started today with qualifying shifts which continue through Saturday afternoon. On Sunday the top 32 will compete in a match play tournament.

The winner gets more than win more than $5,000 and a belt buckle trophy.

Along with the bowling, there are also raffles, 50/50 and Tic Tac Turd fundraisers.

There qualifying shifts Saturday start at 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. and match play starts at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and could last all day. Spectators are welcome.