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Country Classic Invitational 2006 - Contest Report Go here to check out the competitors prizes: WHAT A SHOW! Well, the very first Country Classic Invitational has been & gone & what a show it was.
Although the fog-machine went a bit over-the-top at the start, when the smoke cleared, the crowd enjoyed a lively display from the Winning Physique Dancers, with the finale’ featuring Masters competitor, Matt Nicholson, darting in & out between 9 stunning dancers, all dressed in “Vegas-Style” outfits. Some guys have all the luck! It was then time for the day’s compere to get the day underway. Tony Doherty did a wonderful job on the microphone & is easily Australia’s most experience & entertaining MC. His quick wit & lively competitor introductions made the show most enjoyable.
David was not disgraced; coming in shredded, but just didn’t have the size to challenge Lucky. In third place was local boy, Armando Oliver, who was unlucky to come up against two high quality Juniors in his very first show. Special thanks to KAHA GYM WEAR for sponsoring the class & to Warren Clampit for presenting the prizes.
In second place was 3 time IFBB Vic Champion, Michael Leonard. Michael posses heaps of thick quality muscle & was the oldest competitor in the line-up at 52yrs of age. In third place was the comeback man Barry Dove. Barry’s first comp was as a Junior in 1979! Although he has only resumed training in the last 9mths, he looked great & will hopefully continue to compete & improve. Rounding out the class in fourth & fifth place respectively was local bodybuilder Ian Reid & first time competitor Mal Leather. This was the closest decision of the day, with only one point separating the two men. Special thanks to ULIMATE PHYSIQUE for sponsoring the class & to Neil Gardner for presenting the prizes.
Seasoned competitor Eva DiBrino placed second & as expected, presented herself in tip top shape. Eva’s posing is one of her strengths & today’s effort was no exception. Her Spanish/Flaminco style routine went down a treat. Third placed competitor Lynn Barraclough had to overcome some personal hardships during her lead up to the show, but battled on through her preparation to perform one of the most dynamic & entertaining routines of the day. First time competitor Monica Kauter found the mature bodies of the other competitors pretty stiff competition, but at only 22yrs of age & training under the watchful eye of former Figure Champion, Amanda Doherty, she is certain to improve. Special thanks to HORLEYS for sponsoring the class & to Amanda Doherty for presenting the prizes.
Ticket-holders were treated to a great routine, which started out with a slow Opera-style piece of music, after which the music was pumped up & Luke proceeded to blast out some brutal Most Muscular poses. He then gave his fans a real treat by walking out into the crowd where he hit pose after pose, much to the delight of everyone. After all that, he was still able to draw the winning tickets for the Luke Wood framed & autographed photos competition. These beautifully framed photos were kindly donated by FULLY FRAMED & big Luke himself presented two lucky members of the audience with them. Entry was free; you just needed to show your ticket for a chance to win. Valued at over $350 each, one even had the posing trunks that Luke wore when he won his Pro card, so some lucky person has walked away with a real piece of Australian bodybuilding memorabilia.
Janet Kane took out second place in her very first contest. Although training for a competition in October, she was in such great shape that she decided to have a go at the CCI & no doubt she’s glad that she did. Janet’s a little pocket-rocket & entertained the crowd with her upbeat routine. Third place getter, Sharon O’Brien had one of the worst preparations you could hope for leading up to the show. Suffering with the dreaded flu in the last month, she kept going and despite feeling terrible on the day, showed up & did her best, where many others would have given up. Special thanks to THE COMPLETE SUPP SHOP for sponsoring the class & to Sandra Josè for presenting the prizes.
That man was Andrei Todero who had travelled all the way down from Sydney for his first win in a bodybuilding contest. Although a quiet man, Andrei impressed all with his modesty & good manners. Weighing in at around 110kg, he was almost 20kgs heavier than his nearest rivals! In the end, his sheer size & rock hard condition made him a clear winner. As a reward for winning the Intermediate class, Andrei has been invited to compete in the Open class next year. He has happily accepted our offer, so we can look forward to seeing him again next year, competing amongst the big boys. Second placed Wes Newell looked like he was having the time of his life on stage. His lively demeanor during the Symmetry & Compulsory rounds had the crowd thoroughly entertained, even prompting a bit of cheeky banter with Head Judge, Neil Gardner. He finished off his day with a powerful routine. First time competitor Michael Andrews sneaked into third place thanks to his rock hard condition & strong posing. Although probably one of the lightest competitors at 75kgs, what he lacked in size, he more than made up for with his classic shape. Not only was this Mikey’s first contest, but he also caught the train from Aspendale, all the way to Bendigo just to compete! This is almost a 3hr trip & he was rewarded for his efforts, winning the “Encouragement Award”. Well earned too. Just missing out on a place was another first time competitor, Leo Eliades. Leo obviously loves bodybuilding & gave 100% effort on stage. With better presentation, he may well have placed higher. He had plenty of support at the show & was a popular competitor. James Archer was another first timer & like Andrei, travelled all the way from Sydney to compete in his very first show. James has a very pleasing physique & it won’t be long before he is in the placing's. Sixth place getter Marvin Johnson was once again, another first timer. Although a bit light on for muscle, this 21yr old came in sliced to the bone! A good looking young kid who poses beautifully, Marvin only needs time before he starts winning contests. He has a great future ahead of him. Darren Rahiri was another competitor with a frustrating preparation. A badly severed finger made it almost impossible for him to train for the last 5-6 weeks. Darren has some good solid muscle from his Powerlifting background & just needs to come in harder to be a threat. Aaron Smith finished off the class with a typical “Aaron” routine. Aaron is a superb poser, but alas, his condition didn’t do justice to his fine routine. It’s very rare that Azza comes in out of shape, but when he’s on, he is very hard to beat. Special thanks to WINNING PHYSIQUE for sponsoring the class & to Rocco Oppedisano for presenting the prizes.
The audience was treated to a spectacular entrance, with all competitors standing at the back of the stage with only the silhouettes of their physiques visible. It looked fantastic as one by one, each competitor walked up to the front of the stage through the fog. In fifth place was ANB natural champion, Joel Foster. Another competitor who had flown all the way down from Sydney, Joel had possibly the best structure of any competitor on stage. He’s a man mountain & has a beautifully symmetrical body. Unfortunately, Joel just didn’t get his diet quite right & this cost him from placing higher. Showing great maturity, Joel’s posing music wouldn’t work, so he was forced to pose to another piece just seconds before he was to go on stage. No dummy spitting here. He just got on with the job & did a fine routine. In fourth place was the ever-popular Eric McEntyre. Eric’s routine was one of the highlights of the day. He came on to the stage with his hips swinging & really got the crowd fired-up. Again, Eric wasn’t quite hard enough, but his dazzling routine earned him the “Most Entertaining Routine” award. He won a fantastic Canon video camera; kindly donate by IFBB superstar, James Potter. Eric had a great time & has promised to come back next year. Mark Cheuk took home third place with a well-defined physique. Although barely 5ft tall, “Cheuky” is a seasoned competitor, having competed with the INBA, Musclemania & is now the best U/70kg competitor in the IFBB. He has an amazing set of legs & is a very tidy poser to boot. It was great to see a 5ft, U/70kg champion up against the likes of a 6ft, 100kg champion like Eric, with the little guy just getting the nod in the end. The final competitors are two of the best bodybuilders that Australia has ever produced. Former IFBB Pro, Matt McLean & Overall IFBB Australian Champion, Con Demetriou. Both men possessed thick slabs of muscle & both were in the best shape of their lives. After a hard fought battle, Matt was announced in second place. Matt was in awesome condition & showed off some freaky bodyparts. He has one of the most intimidating Most Muscular poses that you could ever wish to see! Originally from Bendigo, Matt really gave the crowd it’s money’s worth & made sure that Con had to work hard for his victory. He had obviously put a lot of effort into his routine & put on a quality display. Although naturally disappointed, Matt is a great sportsman & was glowing in his praise for Con after the show. He will 100% be competing next year. After a 10yr absence from competitive bodybuilding, Con Demetriou was crowned the 2006 Country Classic Invitational Champion! Con last competed in 1995, where he cleaned up, winning the Heavyweight & Overall IFBB Australian titles. We were rapt that Con chose our very first show to make his comeback. And what a return to the stage it was, beating a quality line-up & winning a 42” Plasma TV! Con’s condition was fantastic, but in the end, it’s his superior genetics that makes it difficult for anyone who competes against him. Con has amazingly thick, full muscles & his back development is as good as you would see anywhere. He was given a pleasant surprise too, when after winning the Plasma TV, he was presented with the Championship Belt. It was specially commissioned for the CCI & is a one-off hand-made original. It looked great as he held it high above his head & was a fitting way to end the show. Special thanks to CELL BIOLOGY for sponsoring the class & to Luke Wood for presenting the prizes. AFTER PARTY. After the show, competitors, sponsors, officials & fans, were invited to the Banquet Room, were they were served up free pizza, courtesy of Hardcore Muscle Promotions. It was a great way for competitors to chill-out with each other over a hard earned drink & some well-deserved junk food. When the food ran out, the fun didn’t stop. Our good friends at the RED MOSQUITO BAR reserved their V.I.P room for our exclusive use, where many of the competitors partied on until the small hours. THANK YOU. A big thank you to everyone involved in our first show. Your spirit & enthusiasm has given us the motivation to continue to run the CCI every year. We wanted to do something original & unique in an attempt to lift the profile of bodybuilding. We feel that our 2006 show is a great start. BENDIGO. To the people of Bendigo, we want to extend to you our gratitude. Your hospitality & facilities were second to none. Every single competitor commented on how much they enjoyed their time in your town. Our intention was to get away from the city & try to get competitors & fans alike to spend a weekend away & enjoy each other’s company. Many competitors have expressed their intentions to come back in their “off-season” & enjoy some time sightseeing & eating out in some of Bendigo’s outstanding restaurants. To everyone at the Capital Theatre, thank you so much for allowing us to hold a bodybuilding show in your magnificent venue. Competitors & fans alike agreed, that it was the perfect place to hold a show. Competitors felt really spoilt with the quality of both the backstage & onstage facilities. We have no intentions of holding our show anywhere else. OFFICIALS. Thanks to everyone who helped out with the running of the show. Judges & backstage officials alike did a wonderful job. With out you people giving up your time, we would not be able to run a show. Your passion & dedication is inspirational. We didn’t get one single complaint with any of the decisions or the way competitors were treated backstage. Congratulations on a job well done. LUKE WOOD. Thanks Luke, for what nearly everyone has described as one of the best Guest Posing displays that they have ever witnessed. Your condition for a Guest Pose was awesome & your modesty & generosity were recognized by everyone. Good luck on your Professional bodybuilding career. TONY DOHERTY. Tony is the best in the business when it comes to compering bodybuilding shows & our show was no exception. Tony did a wonderful job, pumping up each competitor & keeping the crowd entertained. You made a hard job look easy. Thanks mate. THE FANS. To everyone who bought a ticket to the show & made the trip to Bendigo thank you very much. We had so many offers of people wanting to help, but the biggest help of all is to buy a ticket & attend the show. Bums on seats are what we need to keep the show going, so your support was both needed & appreciated. COMPETITORS. To all the competitors, thanks for taking a chance on us with our very first show. We realized that there would be plenty of doubters out there, having heard similar promises that we had made over the years. We put plenty of thought & preparation into this show & it was always going to get off the ground. Thanks to your trust & faith in us, we now have a bodybuilding competition that rewards the competitor with quality prizes. We hoped you enjoyed the day & look forward to seeing you all next year. We would like to thank all of the generous sponsors that supported us. The fact that you got behind us in our first show indicates that you, like us, want bodybuilders to be rewarded accordingly. Every cent that you gave us was put back into prizes for competitors. We hope you got your money’s worth & that all bodybuilders get behind your products, as you are true supporters of bodybuilding. We hope to see you getting behind the show next year. NEXT YEAR. Next year is already looking pretty big. With all of last year’s Sponsors pledging their support for 2007, we look like picking up what will be quite a lucrative new Sponsor. Due to the Capital Theatre being unavailable in August next year, the new date for 2007 is going to be Saturday 21st July. Mark it down on your calendars. Get in early, next year will be bigger again. We hope to see you all there. It’s a great bodybuilding weekend. Good health to everyone. Hardcore Muscle Promotions. Go here to check out the competitors prizes:
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The show opened up with an exciting & well-choreographed routine featuring a mixture of great dancers as well as some of the day’s competitors. 
First class for the day was the Junior Men. What looked on paper to be a close battle between Junior Champions, Lucky Hatzipantalis & David Petrovski, in the end turned out to be a convincing victory for young Lucky. The improvement that he has made in the last 12mths is nothing short of amazing. With muscle maturity belying his young age, Lucky’s thigh development has to be seen to be believed! He has an enormous future in bodybuilding. 
Next on stage were the masters men. These guys were in sensational condition, with ages varying from 41-52! Hot favorite Matt Nicholson was in his usual great condition. Matt is an experienced competitor who has won more titles than he’s had hot dinners! His presentation was superb & left the crowd wanting more. 
The Women's Figure class saw four beautiful women all present themselves in great condition. Winner Lian Day finally won her first comp after 3 previous attempts. She did it in style too, coming in her best ever condition & finishing it off with a faultless routine. Lian was our very first competitor to sign up for the show. Obviously all that planning paid off.
After the halftime break, IFBB Pro, Luke Wood, took to the stage. Luke was in his all-time best condition in what was one of the best Guest Posing performances ever witnessed in Victoria.
After all the excitement of Luke Wood’s routine, it was back to the show. The Women's Bodybuilding class was next. Winner Melita Jagic is probably one of the best female bodybuilders going around at the moment. Although not quite as sharp as we have seen her in the past, she was still a runaway winner, possessing quality muscle all over. She dedicated her win to her father, who sadly passed away a month before the show. Well-done Melita. 
This was easily the most competitive line-up of the day. The judges really had their work cut out for them, with comparison after comparison being called out. After much deliberation, they finally came up with a winner.
At last, the one that everyone had been waiting for. The rumors about who would & who wouldn’t show up were about to be discovered. Every competitor in this class was already a champion in their own right. There were no height or weight classes, with competitors from different Federations all waiting to see who was the best of the best.