New competition to find the strongest man in Horsham launches

A new competition is being launched to seek out the strongest man in Horsham.
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Brett Miles is organising the event, which will see men in the district test their brawn in a series of challenges before one is crowned Horsham’s Strongest Man.

The 34-year-old strongman said: “I don’t know if anyone has ever run Horsham’s Strongest Man before.

“I thought I would put one on.”

Defending champion of UK's strongest man (under 105kg) Matt ColeDefending champion of UK's strongest man (under 105kg) Matt Cole
Defending champion of UK's strongest man (under 105kg) Matt Cole
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The competition will be held on July 10, the day before the UK’s Strongest Man under 105kg is held at Brett’s family farm in Colgate.

Brett, who has competed in strongman since 2014, added: “It will be great. It’s great for people to be involved with these things.”

Horsham’s strongman competition will have two classes; novice, for people who have never competed in strongman before and intermediate, for lifters with some strongman experience.

The strongman said: “There will be five events and then hopefully at the end of that we will have a winner of those events.”

Brett Miles, with ViribusBrett Miles, with Viribus
Brett Miles, with Viribus
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The first event will be an overhead press. Competitors will lift a bar weighing 90kg for novices and 110kg for intermediates – around the weight of a baby elephant.

Challengers will also take on a farmers walk where they must walk 40m in the quickest possible time while carry weights of 100kg or 120kg respectively in each hand.

This is equivalent to a slightly overweight leopard.

At the event Brett will also invite people to try and lift his manhood stone – called Viribus.

Manhood stones have traditionally been used as a test of strength, particularly in Scotland, Brett said.

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Viribus, which means strength in Latin, weighs 164kg which is about as heavy as a reindeer.

Competitors must lift Viribus from flat on the ground onto a platform more than three foot tall.

Brett added: “It’s very heavy. It’s an old piece of Horsham stone.

“That will be a little part of Horsham history. Hopefully the stone will outlast you and me.”

Brett is running a weekly workshop on Tuesdays at 6.30pm. It will take potential competitors through the events ahead of the event.

For more information email [email protected]

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