Review
Brent Hamm:
This was the most competitors, and the best level of them we have ever had in Altona. It was also the longest running competition I have been to, we were done at 8:00. We never anticipated that we would have 18 competitors. Next time we will run 5 events instead of 6, and get rid of the yoke for max, which I like, but took to long. Aside from that, I thought it was a great show. Dave was really good, and Jeff was amazing. He has improved a lot since last time I saw him. Thanks to the helpers who had a long tough day. I was happy with my performance, considering everything, but still frestrated at not being able to complete lifts that were no problem 6 months ago. After it was all done, we had a steak barbecue for everyone, was some really good steak!!!

Al Block:
Competitor comments:
Dave - Taught us all a lesson. Easy to see why he was 9th at WSM.
Jeff P - Amazing. Improved lots in 2 yrs.
Chris - Getting better all the time. Very explosive.
Darren - Cleaver didn't dissapoint with his yoke walk.
Nick - A good effort. Him and Scott had a great race in the medley with Nick winning.
Scott - Solid effort. A few mistakes cost him.
Tyler - Scott thought he had spotted Sasquatch at the contest but upon a closer look it was Tyler without his shirt on.
Bus - Great to see the guy back. Competing because he loves the sport.
To many guys to comment on everybody.
Thanks to Brent and Curt for all their work. Brian for reffing. All the helpers who made the day possible. Great job.

Curt Martens:
This year was a long grueling competition.
I was amazed at the way all you competitors stayed focused throughtout the competition. Especially Jeff P. He was Pumped right to the end. I realize I have a lot of training to do for next season to even thinking of competing at that level. I would like to thank all the competitors for make the trip to Altona and putting on one heck of a show. I hope you guys enjoyed yourselves and will consider the trip next year.

Darren Cleave:
Had a great time this weekend! This is the best show I have done in a couple years. I liked the events, venue and this was as good of a competitor list as we have ever seen in the west. We had three Western champs, plus some great newcomers and the guys from south of the border were really incredible. Thanks to Brent, Curt and all the helpers for putting on such a good show, and for your hospitality. Congrats to big Dave and Jeff on there class wins. I was probably most impressed with Jeff's preformance considering he was in the lightweight, and he competed as good as any top notch heavyweight. Dave has a great career in strongman ahead of him. He has got all the tools-size, height, speed and lots of core strength. He really pulled well on the deadlift for such a tall guy, and will only continue to get better.
Chris really looked good, and always placed well in every event. Lots of speed, great stones, solid dead. He will do well next month an Canadians.
Al was solid and steady all the way through, and he always seems to have a good showing, no matter what the events are. He is the most consistent strongman in the West!
Scott looked good with a solid press, and continues to improve in events like the yoke that used to give him trouble.
Nick has great speed, and did real well with the stones as well. A very consistent preformance from him.
Brad was injured in more than one area of his body. He showed his class by coming out to compete despite these serious restrictions because of his love for the sport. Showed real class!! In his best shape he would have had a real battle with Dave for number 1.
The lightweights don't really need to be seperated from the heavies when they are this good! Jeff blew everyones mind on pretty much everything he did, Brent was consistent and preformed very well like always. This is even harder to when you are promoting the show, but he pulled it off quite nicely. John had a really impressive yoke, and a sweet split jerk on the log press. He is another guy that shows up every time he competes and does well!
There were some solid preformances from some of the newcomers as well. Jason G and Adam A did well for there first comp. Jason completed 700 on the yoke on only his second time training this event. Gary Block and Brad Cone had some good p.r's and these 4 made sask look solid for much less experianced guys.
As for myself, I was dissapointed I didn't finish the press, and the 1000 yoke, but all in all It was an o.k day for me considering the month i've had. My press came up since Western's, but my legs and back wern't up to snuff. I really didn't think that the 1000 yoke was to heavy, but it just got away from me a bit, and I didn't have the giddyup to pick it again. I really feel like I could take a good run at 1100 for 50 with a little more training. I don't mean to take anything away from Dave, who did a very solid walk with 1000 on a misload. It was supposed to be 900, but after he finished they realized there was an extra 100 lbs on it!! He did a solid walk with no putdowns for the win! Unfortunatly for Brad, his att an 900 was loaded to 1000, which didn't do his low back injury any good, but the poor helpers had to reset that yoke and load it about 50 times. I love the max yoke, but with almost 20 guys it was a lot of work resetting everything time after time over four different weights. This was about the only thing that was even close to being a problem though. This was one of the best run shows that I have done, and everything was set up very well and the reffing was excellent as well(Thanks Brian).
Congrats to everyone on there placings, and we'll see you all again!
Prizes
Open ($700, $350, $175) $75 per event win
105kg ($400, $200, $100) $75 per event win

Log Press (Zacharias Electric/Canadian Lumber)
Review
Brent Hamm:
I really like the look of the new logs, but they had sharp edges which we will have fixed shortly. Was surprised how few people got all four, was expected more, but guess when you put them in a medley its harder! Scott was off to a good start here he looked very fast and explosive. 260 was too much for me, argghhh.

Al Block:
I was very pleased with my performance in this event. I managed to press all 4 logs in 46 sec. My press may be finally starting to come around. Scott did all 4 in 25 seconds to win. We were the only 2 to press all 4.
Rules
Log Press Medley 200, 230, 260, 290 8", 10", 10", 13" Logs 60 Second time limit

Yoke Walk (Heartland Credit Union/Sunvalley CO-OP)
Review
Brent Hamm:
I was really looking forward to this event. Although it ran long, I still liked it. Most people did every weight, but being older, I choose to start at 800. Then took 900 for about half way. Just wanted to make sure I past John to get the points. We had a mix up on the loading, and Brad took out 1,000 when he called for 900. He hurt his back and affected him the rest of the day. Dave also took a stroll with the 1,000 and easily finished the whole distance. Michael re-injured his leg here, and had to with draw.

Al Block:
Tough. I PB'ed with 900 for 50 ft. Dave O did 1000 for 50. Cleaver did 1000 for about 40 and Jeff went about 8 ft. My legs were fried after 900 and I could not budge 1000.
Rules
Yoke Walk for Max 600 lbs start 100 lb increments 50' course One drop per run competitor may pass any weights but must make 20' on next weight to count anything. Max weight for distance wins Least attempts makes no differenece 60 Second time limit

Deadlift (J & S Taping/Fountain Tire)
Review
Brent Hamm:
Jeff got 2nd here with 11 reps, impressive. The weights were really good, in my opionion. John impressed me with his pull of two tires. The deadlift felt like about 330 per hand on farmers, from what people guessed. I did enough reps to beat Tyler for most with a single tire.

Al Block:
I was still not feeling great after the Yoke. I was fortunate that Nick and Scott went before me and had scores of 6 and 5 so I went to beat them and got 7. Chris did 10. Jeff did 11 and Dave did 12.
Rules
Deadlift for reps with Pulse car deadlift apparatus. Every competitors can try it with two tires on apparatus (1,300 lbs of tires) once every one has tried, any one not making the lift can attempt with one tire (800 lbs). 60 Second time limit

Final Fingers (Rona/Conquest Manufacturing)
Review
Brent Hamm:
That darn 4th finger. I think we will have to shorten some of them for next time. Dave got close, but not all the way. Some of the helpers almost got crushed here, so we will figure out a better system for saving the floor (and the helpers) for next year. Jeff was very fast here. I was not happy with only getting 2, use to get 3 easy.

Al Block:
The 4th finger remains unflipped. Some very fast times with 3 but no one could get the 4th or 5th. I was fairly slow for 3 and I believe that put me 6th. Dave won another event.
Rules
5 fingers for fastest time. 285 lbs - 10' 357 lbs - 12' 6" 399 lbs - 14' 456 lbs - 16' 513 lbs - 18' 90 Second time limit

Atlas Stones (Con-pile Construction/Glenberg Homes & Design/Superior Distributers)
Review
Brent Hamm:
We did 3 stones on one side, then ran around to the other side to do the next 3. Stones were set up in wrong order, so we ended up doing 210, 270, 235 290, 305, 345. Dave got all 6 in 17 seconds, so less the 3 seconds a stone. Very fast.

Al Block:
I was the first guy to load all 6. A little dissapointed in my time of 31 seconds. It got beat by a few guys. Dave did all 6 in 18 seconds for another event win.
Rules
210, 235, 270, 290, 305, 345 to 50" Tacky Allowed 60 Second time limit

Medley (Prairie Insurance/AMC Signs)
Review
Brent Hamm:
Sled drag was very light for the floor. We had 610lbs on it, but should have had more. The big tire slowed a lot of the guys down. Its tricky to grip. Nick was within 1/2 a second of beating Dave here.

Al Block:
Chris and I went agianst each other. The kid can move. There were a few times I thought I had him but he beat me in the end oin a pretty good race. Dave O winner of the medley.
Rules
Farmers Walk 240 50', duck walk 400 50', sled drag 500 x 50', tire flip x2 Two people at a time No Tacky 90 Second time limit