Buxton and Hayes Claim 2026 SA Seniors Classic Titles at Bowland Salisbury
By Tenpin Bowling Australia
Dena Buxton and Adam Hayes are the 2026 SA Seniors Classic champions
The 23rd edition of the SA Seniors Classic delivered two compelling storylines across the weekend at Bowland Salisbury in South Australia, as Dena Buxton and Adam Hayes were crowned the 2026 champions in the Senior Female and Senior Male divisions respectively.
Across two days of competition, bowlers completed 16 games – eight on Saturday and eight on Sunday, with total pinfall across both days determining the champions. The format is unforgiving and simple: there is nowhere to hide, and nowhere to make up ground that patient, consistent bowling cannot eventually find.
At A Glance
| Event | 2026 SA Seniors Classic |
| Dates | 23-24 May 2026 |
| Venue | Bowland Salisbury, Salisbury East, SA |
| Division | Senior and Grand Senior |
| Status | 2026 TBA Nationally Ranked Event |
| Edition | 23rd edition |
| 2026 Female Champion | Dena Buxton (VIC) |
| 2026 Male Champion | Adam Hayes (VIC) |
| Full Results | View Here |
Overview
Female Senior Division
If the men’s title came down to an overnight comeback, the women’s told a different story entirely – one of front-running dominance from start to finish.
Victoria’s Dena Buxton arrived in Salisbury already claiming this title in 2022, and by the end of Sunday afternoon, had added a second to her name. Buxton led from the front across all 16 games, posting a total of 3,284 to finish clear of the field and claim the title by 213 pins.
Her scorecard included the tournament’s standout single game in the women’s division – a 258 on Day 1 – and she backed it up with continued consistency on Day 2, finishing with a 205.3 average across the event.
The battle for second was tight. Jo Babic (SA) and Christine Clark (VIC) finished in a tie on 3,071. Grand Senior bowler Heather Robertson (QLD) rounded out the top four on 2,991 and took maximum points for the Grand Senior division, while Karen Newman (VIC) finished fifth on 2,978.
Defending champion Jenny Notman, who claimed her first SA Seniors Classic title at this event in 2025, finished sixth on 2,939. Rankings leader Samantha Matthews had a tougher run, finishing 11th on 2,858, while Mary Dodds, a two-time champion at this venue placed seventh on 2,906.
Male Senior Division
The men’s division delivered the weekend’s most compelling narrative – a lead-change story that kept the result in doubt right through to the final stages.
When Saturday’s eight-game block concluded, Warren Stewart (VIC) sat at the top of the men’s leaderboard with 1,791, holding a 75-pin advantage over Adam Hayes (VIC) on 1,716. The overnight gap was sizeable but, as the Sunday session would prove, far from decisive.
Hayes came out with intent on Day 2, posting a second-day total of 1,860 – anchored by a 259 and a 256 to finish with 3,576 overall and a 223.5 average across the event. Stewart, despite a respectable 1,656 on Day 2, could not hold on, ultimately finishing in second place on 3,447 – 129 pins behind the champion.
Third place went to a third Victorian – Amin Dreik (VIC), who produced the tournament’s standout single game in the men’s division – a 280 on Day 2, to finish on 3,387. Michael Muir (SA) was fourth on 3,374, and Jim Karakostas (NSW) fifth on 3,345.
Ashley Riley, the defending champion and season rankings number two, finished sixth on 3,298, while rankings leader Andrew Thorpe managed 18th on 3,060 – a result that will reshape the top of the Men’s Senior Division standings heading into the back half of the season.
This is the first SA Senior Classic title for Adam Hayes.
Grand Seniors
Bowlers who will receive the maximum points in the Grand Senior division are Queensland’s Heather Robertson who continued her remarkable form in the women’s competition, topping the Grand Senior field on 2,991 ahead of Robyn Flynn (2,896) and Jennifer Burton-Douglas (2,851).
In the men’s, Jim Karakostas (NSW) led the Grand Senior Male standings on 3,345, ahead of Andrew Campbell (3,175) and Mick Talevski (3,154).
Results
Female Podium
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Dena Buxton (VIC) | 3,284 |
| =🥈 | Jo Babic (SA) | 3,071 |
| =🥈 | Christine Clark (VIC) | 3,071 |
Female Top 10
| POS | BOWLER | STATE | TOTAL | AVG |
| 1 | Dena Buxton | VIC | 3,284 | 205.3 |
| =2 | Jo Babic | SA | 3,071 | 191.9 |
| =2 | Christine Clark | VIC | 3,071 | 191.9 |
| 4 | Heather Robertson | QLD | 2,991 | 186.9 |
| 5 | Karen Newman | VIC | 2,978 | 186.1 |
| 6 | Jenny Notman | VIC | 2,939 | 183.7 |
| 7 | Mary Dodds | VIC | 2,906 | 181.6 |
| 8 | Robyn Flynn | VIC | 2,896 | 181.0 |
| 9 | Cherie Russell | SA | 2,890 | 180.6 |
| 10 | Suzanne Wenzel | QLD | 2,868 | 179.3 |
Male Podium
| Position | Athlete | Total |
| 🥇 | Adam Hayes (VIC) | 3,576 |
| 🥈 | Warren Stewart (VIC) | 3,447 |
| 🥉 | Amin Dreik (VIC) | 3,387 |
Male Top 10
| POS | BOWLER | STATE | TOTAL | AVG |
| 1 | Adam Hayes | VIC | 3,576 | 223.5 |
| 2 | Warren Stewart | VIC | 3,447 | 215.4 |
| 3 | Amin Dreik | VIC | 3,387 | 211.7 |
| 4 | Michael Muir | SA | 3,374 | 210.9 |
| 5 | Jim Karakostas | NSW | 3,345 | 209.1 |
| 6 | Ashley Riley | TAS | 3,298 | 206.1 |
| 7 | David Kuhn | SA | 3,248 | 203.0 |
| 8 | Alan Notman | VIC | 3,191 | 199.4 |
| 9 | Brett Smith | NSW | 3,177 | 198.6 |
| 10 | Andrew Campbell | ACT | 3,175 | 198.4 |
Performance Highlights
HIGH GAMES
Female Division
258 – Dena Buxton (VIC)
Male Division
280 – Amin Dreik (VIC) and Jim Karakostas (NSW)
- Female Senior Champion: Dena Buxton (VIC) – 3,284 total, 205.3 average, including a tournament-high 258 on Day 1. Her second SA Seniors Classic title.
- Male Senior Champion: Adam Hayes (VIC) – 3,576 total, 223.5 average. Trailed overnight by 75 pins, Hayes reversed the result emphatically on Day 2 with 1,860 pins including games of 259 and 256.
- Grand Senior Female: Heather Robertson (QLD) topped the Grand Senior women’s field on 2,991, continuing her outstanding 2026 season form.
- Grand Senior Male: Jim Karakostas (NSW) led the Grand Senior men on 3,345, with Andrew Campbell (3,175) and Mick Talevski (3,154) completing the podium.
Credit to Karen Stewart for the images that were sent through and added to the recap.
Acknowledgements
Tenpin Bowling Australia congratulates all bowlers on their efforts at the 2026 SA Seniors Classic and extends its sincere thanks to the tournament committee – Lyn Alexander, Trevor Noble, and Robert Alexander – for once again delivering a well-run event.
Thanks also to the event’s sponsors: Bowland Salisbury, the Mawson Lakes Hotel & Function Centre, and Gunspray, the SA-based business of Leon and Lorraine Brady, whose continued support of South Australian bowling helps make events like this one possible. Leon Brady not only supported but participated in the event and finished 36th in the male field.
With three events now complete and two remaining on the 2026 Senior calendar, the race for the rankings title is well and truly alive.
SA CLASSIC CHAMPIONS
| Year | Women | Men |
| 2003 | Jeanette Baker | Barry Morgan |
| 2004 | Jeanette Baker | Greig Lyas |
| 2005 | Jeanette Baker | John Sullivan |
| 2006 | Jeanette Baker | Barry Morgan |
| 2007 | Jeanette Baker | Frosty Gorostiaga |
| 2008 | Jeanette Baker | Chris Benson |
| 2009 | Jeanette Baker | Rob Zikman |
| 2010 | Jeanette Baker | Kevin Webb |
| 2011 | Jeanette Baker | Kevin Webb |
| 2012 | Heather Robertson | Mick Talevski |
| 2013 | Jeanette Baker | Kevin Webb |
| 2014 | Jeanette Baker | Warren Stewart |
| 2015 | Jeanette Baker | Shaun Cummings |
| 2016 | Julie Harrison | Steve Lenton |
| 2017 | Tracey Crisp | Geoff Elliott |
| 2018 | Mary Dodds | Rob Kaluci |
| 2019 | Cheryl Womack | Rob Kaluci |
| 2021 | Jo Babic | Steve Lenton |
| 2022 | Dena Buxton | Andrew Lloyd |
| 2023 | Christine Clark | Mick Talevski |
| 2024 | Mary Dodds | Alan Notman |
| 2025 | Jenny Notman | Ashley Riley |
| 2026 | Dena Buxton | Adam Hayes |
