WEST PARIS—Some might say that Dicky Brown is the toughest guy in Oxford Hills. After all, he took the He-Man title two years running. That may change on Friday night when, as part of West Paris Old Home Days, the He-Man Competition pits man against man once again. But this time, on a more difficult course.
Holly Foresta, who unbeknown to her husband Jerry singed him up as event organizer a few years back, says that last year’s second place winner said the course was too easy—so the pair have decided to change it up. It’s got new elements that will have He-Man wanna-bes sweating and the crowd of onlookers shouting.
Participants need to sign-up at 5:30 p.m. Saturday on Kingsbury Street. There are three categories—ages 18 to 29, 30 to 49 and 50-plus. The He-Man contest itself begins at 6:30 p.m.
Though it’s the most muscular event, that’s not the only thing going on at Old Home Days. This year’s theme is “A Step Back in Time, Honoring Our Town,” honors three families who owned manufacturing businesses in West Paris—the Penleys, Mann and Emery families, Karen Birney, a festival coordinator, said last week. The town’s library will also celebrate the Maine woods through a photography exhibition, there will be a train display at the Little School, and rides by Summit Adventures on Friday. A parade happens on Saturday, along with a fireworks display.
Quiver-N-Quake DJ Service and TJ the DJ, which will bring music to the stage Friday night, are planning a big light show. Birney says that they just returned from doing a similar show for Tim McGraw and Cassidy Pope. This is the first time Old Home Days is featuring such an event. Perhaps the He-Man winner will be there—if he’s still standing.
Each prospective He-Man runs the course individually and is timed. The challenge begins with a contestant lifting and carrying two buckets full of sand and running through tires, similar to boot camp.
“And some of the dudes have big feet so they have to be super-careful,” Holly says from the family farm where they are gathering the items necessary for the obstacle course.
After the tires, he will have to run around the perimeter of the course and then return through the tires, after which he may relinquish his buckets.
Carrying sand through tires is not dissimilar to carrying laundry through a yard full of children, Jerry says as his young son Willy runs by.
“Then you begin the job of burpies,” Holly says, and Jerry explains that burpies are squat thrusts. The number that will be required, however, is still under debate. Some think five is enough, others 10.
“Then you grab your giant bundle of chains and drag it backwards. Now it’s a whole different set of muscles that are going to get fatigued,” Holly adds, and grins.
After that, the contestant will grab a stack of four-foot length firewood and carry it across the way where it needs to be stacked once again.
“Which your stack has to stay [in a pile], you can’t throw it,” Jerry says.
After the wood is stacked, a 150 to 200 lb. tractor trailer tire needs to be flipped in sand and, finally, each competitor has to grab the chains and drag them backward over the finish line—the couple thinks.
“This is all subject to change,” Jerry says.
The Forestas are hoping for more than a dozen competitors this year. However, women who are interested in attempting He-Man status will be pointed in another direction.
“Not allowed. They get to do the skillet throw,” Holly says, adding that she won that competition about 10 years back.
The Fry Pan Throwing Contest begins at 6 p.m., and sign-up is at the same time as the He-Man competition at 5:30 p.m.
Jerry says anyone interested reveling in the position of top He-Man should compete.
“You don’t have to be awful strong to do anything but will breathe, and it’s timed,” Jerry says. “You’re either going to have a good time or not.”
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