Howard Prechtel Memorial Trophy
by Al Myers
Howard Prechtel competing at the 2000 Gold Cup in Burton on Trent, England. Howard performed a 120 KG 2-Bar Deadlift for his Gold Cup Lift. Steve Gardner promoted this event, and it was held at the Bass Museum.
The Gold Cup is the next major IAWA meet on the Calendar of Events. This year it will be held in Glasgow, Scotland on November 3rd. As most know – the Gold Cup was started by the legendary Howard Prechtel while he was the President of the IAWA. The first Gold Cup was held in Lakewood, Ohio in 1991.
At the World Council Meeting of the IAWA, a proposal was made by Steve Gardner to establish a Howard Prechtel Memorial Trophy to be presented in Howard’s memory to the lifter who scores the highest amended total for their record lift at the Gold Cup, using the Blindt Formula to compare the different lifts. This was passed unanimously by the members in attendance. Steve has agreed to get a trophy made for this year’s Gold Cup. The Howard Prechtel Memorial Trophy will, “in a sense” recognize the Gold Cup’s BEST LIFTER. Hopefully, this will become an annual award at the Gold Cup. I will do what I can to make sure that that happens.
Steve Gardner summed up this memorial trophy excellently by saying, “I felt it would nice to remember Howard in this way, as the Gold Cup was Howard’s baby, and it was Howard who proposed the idea of the Gold Cup. It will be great to see who is the first winner of the Howard Prechtel Memorial Trophy!”