A Santa Rosa animal charity got a $4,700 pump of financial aid Saturday at the inaugural “Pulls for Pups” powerlifting event in Mary Esther.
Written by Stu Camp
Hosted by Fortis Fitness Studio, lifters from the region competed in a single-lift format to benefit the Sunshine State Animal Rescue, which is headquartered in Navarre.
More than 10 thousand pounds were deadlifted by the 28 athletes, who made three lifts each. The contribution came from lifters’ entry fees and online and at-the-door donations.
“We will be paying off our vet bill in full. It means we can start out the new year on a good note,” said Virginia Morris, president of Sunshine State Animal Rescue. “We see anywhere between 150 and 350; it just depends on the funding we have. It just depends on what we can ethically, and financially afford. Our adoption fees never cover the money we put into getting them healthy.”
The check for $4,714 presented at the awards ceremony meets an immediate need, she said. They just received their vet bill for last month — $4,600. The rescue is a no-kill, foster home-based program covering a wide swath of northwest Florida.
There were three U.S. Powerlifting Association state records broken. First, 40-year-old Sandra Howard from Milton hoisted more than 363.7 pounds – 2.33 times her bodyweight — which broke the mark she set less than a month ago.
Sandra Howard, of Milton, hoists more than 2.33 times her bodyweight Saturday to break her own state record at “Pulls for Pups” powerlifting meet.
“It’s exciting to push yourself and see how strong you can get. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, you just try again next time,” Howard said. “I had a lot of setbacks in my prep for that (last meet). So, this meet was kind of revenge on my deadlifts. I honestly just wanted to ‘chip’ it, which means a pound or two. And I broke it by, I think, 11 pounds.”
Second, Fortis co-owner and national-level competitor Liz Ribaudo pulled 463 pounds for the record in the open 67.5-kilogram weight class.
“So, this one was more of a fun meet for me. The state record was kinda my goal going into it, which I got on my second attempt,” said Ribaudo, who also took home top female honors. “I’ve pulled it before, so it wasn’t a PR (personal record) but it (state record) was something I wanted to get.”
This record was a ‘chip’ up from the previous record. However, she lost her balance on the third attempt, which would’ve shattered the record by more than 10 pounds.
And, finally, Jimmy Hunt surprised himself by cracking the Georgia state record. The 59-year-old resident from a town just outside of Augusta, Georgia, lifted 463 pounds.
Jimmy Hunt breaks a Georgia state masters 55-59 weight-division deadlift record at Saturday’s event.
“Actually, I came in with the intent of breaking my personal record, and I did on my second lift … by about 10 pounds. I don’t even know; I was told it was a state record. It’s good with me, man,” he said.
The heaviest lift of the day, and top male lifter accolades, went to Jeffrey Owens. The 63-year-old athlete from Thomasville, Georgia, attempted a national record, but his best lift of the day topped out at 644.8 pounds. He didn’t threaten his Georgia masters (60-65) deadlift record of 688.9 pounds, but he is the holder of several state records in different age and weight classes.
All Photos © 2021 Stu Camp
