I actually out-lifted teh guy who won teh Minnesota Deadlifting Championships at 198lbs, but F**king judges gave me 2 reds. Just so happens that the guy who won was a resident lifter at the gym where it was held and good friends of one of the 2 judges who red-lighted me as well as the contest organizer. Its a conspiracy, I tell ya, a conspiracy.
Sure I laugh about it now, but at the time, I took my second-place trophy and threw it in the garbage. I figured, fuck, I didn't train for second, and I knew I outlifted that shit by 20lbs too.
WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
Had I won, and continued training from there forward, I would have gone, and even lifted. AS it was, I took time to rehab my decimated body (L4/L5, knee, and right quad), and went into a light lifting cycle.
So, no, I am NOT going to be there, but thanks for asking.
--MOE