This was the first time this bodybuilding show was held, and it was organised by
Dayo Audi, a true lover of the sport. Dayo's passion for bodybuilding was evident from the professional way this event was presented; a true ambassador for bodybuilding and MuscleTalk was proud to be the web partner for the show.
I was one of the judges for the contest, and the standard of competitors was excellent, with a great crowd turnout, especially considering this was the first time this event was held. The venue was a good choice – Ossett Town Hall near Wakefield in West Yorks, and this was complimented with a range of refreshments available all day.
Following Dayo's welcoming, this show opened in a different way to other bodybuilding shows, with a guest couple routine. Rachael Ravencroft and Steve Taylor (both competitors on the day) performed a synchronised routine to 'Fame, I'm gonna live forever...' Both were in great shape and much practice and choreography must have gone into their preparation.
The first class was the Junior Under 21s. Just three competitors in this category and both Chris Hanley (2nd place) and Kevin Ulaya (1st) have exceptional potential. Kevin also went on to be awarded the best presentation for the whole event.
Increasingly when I watch bodybuilding shows, the First Timers category seems to be a worryingly high standard. This show was no exception and all five were in great shape. Third place went to John Halliday; this guy has amazing condition and vascularity, even his cuts had cuts; in truth, I have rarely seen condition this freaky anywhere. The reason he didn't place higher was that the other two had better proportions and muscularity, and, in my opinion their overall appearance was just more pleasing. Farhad Qanem (2nd place) was excellent, and must have been cursing to have had to compete against the winner who went simply by the name Hutch. Hutch has some quality muscle, quality shape and a quality aura about him. His routine was excellent and my only criticism would have been he should have used the whole stage. Hutch went on also to win the Masters. Not bad for a first show, and this man is one to watch out for; he has a very aesthetically pleasing physique.
Following the fist timers, for a bit of fun Dayo presented the endurance hold competition. Four guys out of the audience had to hold a huge tub of MassX in each arm out-stretched for as long as possible. Richard Lancaster held them for a whopping 2 minutes and 45 seconds and took home the tubs and more for his efforts.
Up next were the Novices. Eight great contestants here. Stephen Taylor came a very respectable third place, and first and second place were very hard to judge. Michael Johnson had excellent condition and shape, but was marginally overpowered by Carl Tomlin who carries some serious size. Carl is from Peterborough and is a friend of mine, and his decision to compete in this show was only made 3 days prior! He was aiming to peak in 4 weeks time, so could have done with being 5-6lbs lighter, and with better condition he would have been a clear winner, as opposed to just scraping though. No doubt he can do this though. Carl is just 22 years old and is a very big lad; with more experience he will surely go a long way.
After the interval, another bit of fun was the Bench Press competition. Three competitors and a controversial decision, with Richard Lancaster eventually being chosen as the victor; strong bloke!
After this came the Miss Beach Body contest. Dayo's reason for holding this was that as there are too many female categories and too few ladies in the region, it would be better to go for a beach body event. Four ladies presented themselves in Evening Wear and later in bikinis and were also asked a few questions with a bit of light hearted banter from Dayo. Whilst this even was certainly fun, feedback from some members of the audience was that it was a bit 'cheesy'. All four ladies have great figures and it was Rachael Ravencroft (from the introduction couples routine) who won.
Next up were the Masters Over 40s. Again another phenomenal standard and in a different event, any of the top six could have won. Third was Alan Sheldon, and a very close second was Micky McKay to Hutch who also won the First Timers. Micky is MT member 'Micky' and also a friend of mine. He entered this show at the last minute intending to peak in two weeks time for the British; he has a great shape and a lot of potential.
If you're a regular at British bodybuilding shows, then you'll be familiar with some of the names and physiques in the Open Amateur Mr category. All the first four were national quality physiques. Dan Jumma was clearly disappointed at his forth placing, Paul Mason came a close third, Nana Mano was second but the winning physique was possessed by Mansoom Butt. Mansoom not only has size, definition and symmetry, but also a certain quality that is rarely seen out of pro ranks.
Before the show was rounded up, Dayo presented two guest posers. Shane Copley two weeks out from the British took the stage first, before being joined by Peter Brown. Shane has a great size and shape, but there's only one word to describe Peter Brown – Mass!!
Before rounding up Dayo made his pledge that the show is all about giving something back to the sport of bodybuilding, and if he had to drop the standard for next year, then he would not put the show on. However I really hope he is able to run the Sci-Mentor SportsPN Classic for a second time, as it was a very enjoyable and well run show and MT will certainly support it all the way.
