Josh Andrews throws a gear made of concrete over a barrier, while opponent Brian Laakso tries to pull him in the opposite direction.
Showdown #2: John Walch, an entertaining strongman for hire, prepares to bend a frying pan in front of several young spectators and their parents. Courtesy photo: Dillon Vibes
John Walch, an entertaining strongman for hire, prepares to bend a frying pan in front of several young spectators and their parents.
Josh Andrews throws a gear made of concrete over a barrier, while opponent Brian Laakso tries to pull him in the opposite direction.
Showdown #2: John Walch, an entertaining strongman for hire, prepares to bend a frying pan in front of several young spectators and their parents. Courtesy photo: Dillon Vibes
John Walch, an entertaining strongman for hire, prepares to bend a frying pan in front of several young spectators and their parents.
Jeremy Kaufmann, owner of Core Fitness pdx, came up with the concept for a hybrid fitness competition called the Showdown from a lifetime involvement in sports, that includes watching professional and amateur sports on TV and participating in sports like obstacle-course racing and functional fitness workouts. Although the Showdown is a competition, Kaufmann noted that he looks on it as a community event and, he added, added it is a fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon.
“The inaugural event took place with 20 of my friends competing in 2021 while major events around the world were still shut down, but small groups of people were allowed to gather outdoors,” Kaufmann said.
That event was so successful that he and his friends agreed he needed to introduce the Showdown to a larger audience, and Core Fitness pdx was born. In 2022, Kaufmann rented the Pioneer Memorial Stadium from the Oregon City School District and had a handful of vendors and food trucks. Twelve men and 10 women gathered to compete, but only one man and one woman left the stadium victorious.
The Showdown is set up as a series of six trials that pull from the Presidential Fitness Test for high school students, including crossfit, obstacle-course racing, strongman feats of strength and hybrid fitness. Men and women over the age of 18 are eligible to participate.
“The rules for the trials have evolved based on feedback from my friend group, who offer a lot of support and help in putting on the event. Some participate, some volunteer, some spectate and after the event each year we talk about it from all angles of the event as to what worked and what should be improved for the next year,” Kaufmann said.
He noted that Chrish Newell is the female undefeated winner of the two previous versions of the Showdown, and is hoping to win the event a third year in a row in this year’s event. The 2022 male winner was able to use the prize money he won to do a little something extra special for his wedding later in the year, while several of Kaufmann’s friends who competed the first year of the Showdown improved their scores the second year and were extremely proud of themselves.
To make the cut to the actual Showdown, participants have to make it through the first three trials known as the Combine. First up is a test of speed, followed by strength and then endurance.
“The goal is for participants to be able to test their physical abilities in a consistent manner, year after year. Obviously, there is a competitive element to it, but at the heart, everyone is competing against themselves,” Kaufmann said.
“If this would be someone’s first year, then they would be setting their baseline score to beat in future years,” he added.
The male and female with the best score in trial one will win $120 shoe certificate from Road Runner Sports in Tualatin; the male and female with the best score in trial two will win a kettlebell sandbag courtesy of Orangetheory Oregon City; and the male and female with the best score in trial three will win seven cases of cascara+ from BeGOAT clean energy drink.
Points from the Combine will be added together and then the top 20 male and female athletes will advance to the Showdown, three head-to-head, elimination-style events that weed through participants until only one male and one female remain victorious.
The first-place male and female will win $1,000 cash plus gym certificates, gift baskets and free entry into The Showdown 2024. Second place male and female will win a $25 Gym Daddy certificate and free entry into Showdown 2024.
Descriptions of each event, all the rules and other details may be found at corefitnesspdx.com/theshowdown.
This year, the Showdown is open to 120 participants, and the Pioneer Memorial Stadium holds 4,500 spectators.
“This is a community event and fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon, with the focus of supporting local businesses, and providing everyone” with a special experience, Kaufmann said.
For that reason, ticket sales have been kept as low as possible, he added.
The athlete registration fee is $100, spectators ages 11 and up will pay $10 and kids 10 and under are free.
In 2022, Special Olympics Oregon attended the Showdown as a vendor, and then Kaufmann decided to partner with the organization and make it the event beneficiary this year.
“I have promised $500, in addition to giving people the option to donate during checkout when buying presale athlete registration or spectator tickets on the website,” Kaufmann said.
On the day of the event there will also be several raffle prizes that people can purchase tickets for, with all of the proceeds from that going directly to Special Olympics Oregon. Kaufmann hopes to raise $5,000 for the charity.
Kaufmann said he and his wife moved to Oregon City in 2021, after falling in love with the small-town feel and access to running trails and rivers, so it was an easy decision to hold the Showdown in the pioneer stadium.
“There were a handful of local business owners that jumped on board immediately. They had the same vision that this event could one day be a staple in the OC yearly event calendar. Not only for the locals to gather, but in bringing tourism from the greater Portland area and beyond into our small town,” Kaufmann said.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase during the Showdown including from BeGoat, PJ’s Pizza wagon, 3 Potato More and Pronto Pup. Vendors selling other products or representing other organizations will be in attendance and a raffle will take place at the end of the event. Prizes include a Willamette Falls paddling tour, one hour of axe throwing instruction and other items from Active Water Sports and Special Olympics Oregon. All proceeds benefit Special Olympics Oregon.
In keeping with the feel of a community event, Kaufmann noted that spectators will have the opportunity to play some games at no cost, including a bungee run and an inflatable obstacle works, courtesy of Portland Party Works. Additionally, there will be a Kids Combine, courtesy of Oregon City Optimists.
What: A hybrid fitness competition, community event and fundraiser for Special Olympics Oregon
When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. March 25
Where: Pioneer Memorial Stadium, 1417 12th St., Oregon City
Links: Learn more about the Showdown at corefitnesspdx.com and to register for the event, visit eventbrite.com/e/the-showdown-registration-388883269327
More: Core Fitness pdx also sponsors four virtual events; visit corefitnesspdx.com/virtual-events for more information.
When the Showdown ends people can head to Corner 14 for dinner, and anyone who presents their ticket from the Showdown can get $1 off their first beer or $2 off their first cocktail.
He added, “I see the Showdown as much more than just a competition, but a big community festival type day where there is something for everyone; I want to provide everyone with an experience they will never forget.”
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