gazza Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 This is gonna be a long post and i,ll try and put everything i can remember in it. Firstly was let down very badly by a friend over the travel arrangements(cheers mate just hope you never need a real big favor like i did and next time your comeing to a comp atleast stay till the end ).Another friend Big Ian stepped in last minute and run me to Birmingham Airport to pick up Big Steve with only 1 nights notice(cheers bro you saved my bacon . ) Got back from the Airport with Big Steve and my young friend and loader at the comp mike,was only in our hotel room for 5mins when big steve pulls out a 45lbs deep hub plate he brought over for David,poor mike had lugged this bag up the stairs for steve big steve then hands me a bag of nails,bolts,horseshoes etc(thanks big man)he then bends a dime with his teeth no warmup jetlagged etc me and young mike are blown away,mikes 1st ever grip comp what a way to start. We have a freshen up and then head over to Davids at 27 Talbot Road( ye right)i knock on the door and there is a dog barking,i say to big steve i didnt know David and Elizabeth had a dog,and the front doors been painted green lol no answer then big steve says it must be there house as theres a plack outside with Talbot house on it lmao (Elizabeths 2nd name is Talbot) We then go back to the hotel and i phone David and say when did you get a dog,david says i aint got a dog lol,i say 27 Talbot road with the plack on it,naw says david he says his road which is the next one lol,we thought the plack was Elizabeths not thinking the road name was Talbot . Big Steve takes a nap so me and mike head round to Davids and are welcomed as are all people are as one of ther own . We sit and chill then me mike and David go to the hotel and i introduce david to big steve,a comment is made about the earlier dime bend,so then big steve takes an english new penny and bends this in teeth were all blown away and david now has something else unique for his collection. Me,mike,david and big steve head over to david and big steve is greeted by elizabeth,as before we are all made to feel very welcome,the 45lbs hub plate is then busted out and taken down to the super cool dungeon were champions are made,david and me both pick up and curl the 45hub davids technique and strength being far superior to mine.Oliver Davids son 18years old comes down and joins us and oliver starts to give mike some armwrestling coaching on the table,i then have a go with oliver and i am handed my butt oliver modestly says he has a better technique(ye and far superior strength )as big steve said a boy with a mans strength. Oliver then closes a 3* . Me mike and big steve are then invited for tea by david and elizabeth.We go for a walk in Stafford town centre and all the young girls are attracted to mike (as big steve said hes a babe magnet } Back from are walk around Stafford we sit down with david and familly for tea/evening meal and what a meal full english roast dinner (no frozen garbage)Elizabeth is an awesome cook,great and strong woman,superb supporter of her soon to be husbands career and will/is make an awesome mum what more can a fella ask for.We then chill out and watch tv. Friday after a full breakfast back around to david and elizabeths house for more great hospitality.We are then joined by Franky and his lovely wife all the way from Germany.Franky and wife are then treated to the Hornes hospitality . Big Steve Gardner joins us and we all chill and watch pumping iron,kaz etc and what a laugh that was.Big Steve is then blown away by Valentino Dikov(what an awesome man . )More chilling and chat then back to are rooms to freshen up and out for are evening precomp meal,big steve is chomping at the bit and wants to compete now . A great meal then back to the hotel for an early night for the next days comp. Saturday comp day,good breakfast then all round to davids,everything is loaded in the cars and we head off to the venue. We unload everything and then start to sort out and go through the comp and equipment when the grippers are taken out and checken david realises a 3* is missing(naughty Olly.) has left the 3*gripper down in the dungeon and not put it back on the display wall.Big Jim Wylie goes back and retreeves it. Just before the comp i volunteered to be a loader,i realized that i cannot load and take photos and video so i threw my young buddy mike in at the deepend(cheers bro you did a great job)and only been into grip a few months. SHOWTIME : I pick the names outa the hat to see who will go 1st,david is picked 2nd to last a very good draw for him.Nick has to go 1st not so good for him. Pinch Lift Big Steve hits 95kilos then goes straight for 103k and cannot do it so stays at 95kilos.during the pinch the smack talk is up and running between the big man and david big steve tells david i only came for 1 thing bro to take your record . Awesome pinching by everyone especially Andrew Christie who i still did double bodyweight .Franky did a new German record But the man was David the worlds best pincher and still record holder with a new world record.David competition aggression/syke really started to show the mans an animal.Big Steve was very dissapionted with his performance,but he will learn alot from this. David then nearly broke the world record a 2nd time This is definately gonna get killed by david again. V-Bar Again excellent performances by everyone,but we all new big Jim was the man to beat,he started off very tentatively then david broke the v-bar world record,2nd world record for david and 2 in 2 events .jim the v-bar daddy then kicked into gear and took the new world record off of david 4mins earlier,jim was the v-bar daddy again and new world record holder Big steve found this exercise hardish and was being coached juring the event by none other than jim v-bar daddy,this shows the cameradera at this competition . 1 hand thumbless revolving deadlift Competitors were allowed to lift,suitcase style,farmers style or straddle all used straddle style.Again excellent performances by all.Elizabeth started to show her fairness and eagle eyes not letting anything past her. Again david was challenging for top honours,Steve gardener took it right but i think was beaten if you count 2 hands(not shure). Big Steve has one dip way low only to use that awesome big wrist to bring it back up for a good lift,this was another show of strength by the big man . Big Steve i think realized that he counld not win the comp now so busted out the bending gear,nails,big thick bars,cards,a frying pan and a horseshoe were destroyed in between the other events.This man looks like a latter day circus strongman and is an excellent ambassador for strongman and grip.The kids follewed him around like the pied piper and fougt over his destroyed items,the looks on there faces as the grabbed a prized possession will stick with me forever (this was one of my favourite times of the whole weekend.)Big Steve delivered a particular message with each thing he bent he clearly is blessed and these kids who got the messages and bent,ripped,folded items will never forget him and i am shure will be the future of our sport.Thankyou Big Man . the Hammer event Ultra Strict with awesome performances. This was a good visual feat for the crowd but maybe because of the wrapping etc a tad tedious,but such is excellense.the competitors faces were now showing pain and it was very exciting and vocal. Jim Wylie after after useing all his attemps completey astounded people at how EASY he levered a 9.5kilos hammer and there was alot more in the tank,he should realy train this hard and see what he can do . Grippers By far the most vocal event even laid back Jim was at it .David and Nick are both nuts i was really pissing myself with the smack talk between these two(thanks guys) Thick bar daddy Steve Gardener opened with an Elite strap hold right hander and killed it for 10secs and blew everyone away but alas only a 2*in his left(get that up to the right matey and your unbeatable on grippers)David showed his equal strength in both hands and nick had to really push the boat out but it was even too much for him and David was the champ. Steve Gardener after all the events some 8hous of competition decides to go for Jim Wylies 4* 1st go about 4mills away,2nd go about 2mills away Incredible ater 8hrs of comp and a 10secs strap hold with an Elite Top Five places in no order. Nick Only about 12 weeks of training for this comp and comes in second Loses skin on the pinch,then alot of skin on the v-bar both hands and still comes in 2nd,super nice guy with a very impressive physique and awesome strength. Mobster Best competition to date bar none,let down by his left hand.When he gets the left up watch out,super nice always gives lots of advises Supremely confident . Jim recently suffered a broken colar bone and wrist,still the v-bar daddy,hammer lever king if he wants to be,would have been battling nick for 2nd without the injuries. Big Steve An inspiration to everone,the mans huge inside and out,hes a bending giant cuddly teddy bear And very funny. David The LEGEND his best performance to date with a shoulder injury and visibly in pain during the competition he was never going to give this comp away and showed me why he is the best and shoulder healed will only get better. The Loaders Oliver Horne and my little buddy Mike Doolash were great and worked very hard and saved a few people on the hammers from sprained wrists and broken teeth lol good job lads The Mc Magnus Looked the part and was the part very professional and super cool thanks bro Elizabeth Talbot Head Judge and Organiser,super cool,super fair(failed david more times than anyone)super cook,super host closed a 2*despite no training and GET THIS hub lifted the 45plate big steve brought over(i have this on video and its going in the dvd before ya all get to see it ).This young woman has the strongest female hands on the planet After the SHOW. We all went for a meal,at the table big steve is at it again bending coins time to reflecked on what might have been,no egoes no nuthin,everybody is again helping people were they went wrong,a nice meal great chat with some of the beat grip and none grip people in the world.And get this the CHAMPION of CHAMPIONS paid foe everybodys meal THANKYOU DAVID . Back at the hotel Myself,mike,oliver,jim,mark,steve g.david,nick,big steve and franky and wife all sitting around a table drinking and chatting franky busts out his little box of bars .and destroys a red,g9,and some very hard squire stock given to me by big steve.Franky is a bending freak awesome explosive technique really impressive a kinking hard bars,he was also at it the friday night before the comp . He pushed me above myself(thanks buddy)he is super nice and really helped my little buddy mike alot(one again thankyou franky)he and big steve are bending freaks and were smack talking alot. Big steve Then puts on his bending show 1/2"bar,cards,2 wrenches the mans an animal. Upstairs in our room We go upstairs for more beer,big steves on milk. lying on the beds floor etc drinkinking buddweiser and talking grip and strength,what a night,this and the next morening was my favourite parts of the whole weekend,franky shows us a new way of opening buddweiser bottles. Thee light waits leave . and me mike and mobster contnue the drinking and chatting in mobs room,then get hoofed out at gone 3 . Sunday Steve G knocks on the door and says it is 11 o clock,i feel like s**t and toss my cookies inthe pan (lightwate)we go round to davids at 12 and bust out the gear. {Franky sorry to not be upto see you and your wife off) Out comes the hub and it cleaned and snatched and big steve performs a feat not done before(comeing on the dvd)out come davids pastills 20-25 and 30kilos,cleaned and presses and snatched etc. Out comes the roller hub 35kilos david and big steve end up with 90lbs Out comes the inch and steve g shows why he is the inch dominator and thickbar daddy Jim and mark join us and jim tries the gazza bloke but fails (in a coupla weeks buddy)he then dominated davids blob Out comes the blue stone and big steve does something reserved for the dvd. Nick busts out the press ups and pistols. Then Elizabeth hubs lifts the 45lbs plate Then it a bit of eveything and in for a cuppa tea. Sadly i then had to go,but the best4 days of my life Thankyou to all i will never forget what i seen and shared. I but lots of emotions on this but had to go back and remove aload as i could not post it so sorry if one feat looks more deserving of an emotion than another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Nice post Gazza. Only one obvious correction was that David H and I did the same on the right hand thumbless deadlift but I won the overall and had the best left hand. As Gazza and David H say there was a proper physical culture feel to the weekend and one highlight of the somewhat beer fuelled chat was our talking about the all time greats. I know that Nick has some good footage and as well as the comp there should be some cool extra lifting and other highlights which will feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Steve 5.06am dont you sleep Kill that 4* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Horne Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Gazza, Fantastic write up, and what a memory. Just made me smile reading it all. Cheers, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Steve5.06am dont you sleep Kill that 4* ← Went to bed at 10pm, woke at 4am and had a peppermint tea. Went back to bed and have just got up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Thanks David and once again THANKYOU to you and Elizabeth and everyone else for making this mine and little Mikes best weekend ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 I'm updating my log with a full write up as we speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Steve Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 I just want to thank everyone that made Big Steve's trip so enjoyable. He is having a wonderful time (even without me). I know he will be talking about this experience for a long time to come. Your generosity and friendship does not go unnoticed. He is a big guy, but he has a soft heart. Thank you so much for the wonderful contest for treating him so well. Gina McGranahan (Big Steve's Smaller Half) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terminator Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Congrats to everyone, sounds like a great time! David proves once again he's the man! I had a feeling Nick would be right there as well.....great job guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 I just want to thank everyone that made Big Steve's trip so enjoyable. He is having a wonderful time (even without me). I know he will be talking about this experience for a long time to come. Your generosity and friendship does not go unnoticed. He is a big guy, but he has a soft heart. Thank you so much for the wonderful contest for treating him so well.Gina McGranahan (Big Steve's Smaller Half) ← Never a truer word - thank him from us. At least he didn't end up asleep on the breakfast bar as I did at Jedds post GGC 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimwylie1 Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Great write-up Gazza. I'm glad you had a good time. Characters like yourself are what made the weekend a great one. Great performances by everyone: organisers, competitors, loaders and audience included. I think everyone excelled in their own right to make the day a success. Both me (to a far greater extent) and Steve G have some left hand issues to sort out but when that's sorted the the big boys better watch out . Some awesome stuff by big Steve - I wouldn't advise doing what he does between events but his contribution in that area really made the day special. Considering the amount of metal Steve annialated during the day he did amazingly well in the overall competition. The man is a fine gentleman and I feel lucky to have met him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Gina Your hubbies a big old teddy bear With a grizzly bears strength Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Steve Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Gazza, What is stronger than a 330 pound strong man? His 100 pound wife!!! Thank you for all you did for him! Gina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Had something come up at the last minute so I couldnt make it Sounds like a great day out. Well done All. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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