Howie:
I started competing in 1980 at 16 yrs old. This is when teen divisions had up to 50 entrants!
And later on, most area, local and state NPC shows easily had 100+ entrants.
It was much tougher then.
I competed in nearly 60 shows, have about 20 trophies.
Won ANPPC Natural CT in 1995
Won Tall Class in AAU Collegiate Illinois in 1990
Won ANPPC Natural Colonial States in 1994
Took me 2 years to get trophy at first. Went in shows way too big for me, in some of which I stood next to Jeff King, Victor Ter ra, Vinny Cuonzo, Charles Durr (RIP)etc!