The 2025 Cowboy Open is proudly presented by Hunt Lift Eat

Event Logistics

The event will be held outside at 606 South 2nd Street in Laramie, WY. Maps to the location of the competition and parking information will be published to the event page on Facebook and sent out via email to registered athletes in the weeks before the competition. There will also be a link posted here to this section of the Iron Podium Event Description. 

Lifters Meeting will be held at 9:30AM, and lifting will start at 10AM.

Hotel Details are pending, but we’ll announce them via email and on the Facebook Event Page as they become available. 

Weather in September in Laramie can be highly unpredictable. It could be sunny and beautiful, it could be rainy and miserable. The show will happen regardless of conditions, so please come prepared. 

Strongman Corporation

Strongman Corporation membership is required for all competitors and can be purchased online at https://strongmancorporation.com/memberships/. Please note that USS and Strongman Corporation are not the same, and you will need a Strongman Corporation membership for this competition.

Nationals bids will be awarded in Open classes based on the number of athletes in each class as follows:
- 1 athlete in a class: the promoter may merge the class with another class; if the athlete competes alone they will earn an invite by completing (i.e. not “zeroing”) at least 4 of the 5 events to the standards originally set forth by the promoter.
- 2-4 athletes in a class: 1st place qualifies for Nationals
- 5-9 athletes in a class: 1st and 2nd place qualify for Nationals
- 10+ athletes in a class: 1st-3rd place qualify for Nationals

Masters Athletes qualify for America's Strongest Master by placing in the top 3 of a Masters class *or* in the top 5 of an Open class.

Teens qualify for America's Strongest Teen by participating in a Teen, Novice, or Open division.
 

Weigh-ins will be conducted in KILOGRAMS and there is NO "allowance" for clothing. For example, an athlete in the 64kg class must weigh in at 64.0kg or less. Athletes must weigh in wearing (minimally) a bra and underwear.

Early Bird Registration

Discounted pricing will be granted to the first 20 athletes to register. Registration will remain open until September 19th, or until all spots are filled. 

Uniform

Note that during the events only the provided Event Shirt, or Non-USS Grip Shirt will be allowed. Please discuss with the Meet Director if you have any questions. 

Additional Event Shirts will be provided for a cost on a per athlete request. Please discuss with the Meet Director if you would like to acquire more than one Event Shirt. 

During the stone event, a non-competition shirt may be worn. 

Refund Cut Off

Registration refunds will only be given at the discretion of the Meet Director’s after September 5th.

Weigh Ins

Weigh-ins will be held at Laramie Fitness in Laramie from 9am-12pm and from 2pm-4pm on September 26th, and from 9:00-9:30am on September 27th at the Meet Venue. If you need special accommodations for weigh-ins please reach out to the Meet Director.

Description of Events

Event 1: Barbell Clean and Press 

Sponsored by Evolving Vitality

Rising Bar. 3 Attempts. If you miss a rep, your event is done. 30 seconds per attempt. 

All clean and press techniques are welcome. Belt cleans are allowed. 

The barbell will begin in front of the athlete and must be pressed out of the front rack position. No behind the neck presses will be allowed. 

• Barbell starts at 135 for Men’s Novice, Masters 105KG, 80KG, 90KG
• Jumps: 20lb jumps to 235, then 10lb jumps to event completion
• Barbell starts at 225 for Men’s 105KG, 120KG, Masters Open, and Open.
• Jumps: 20lb jumps to 285, then 10lb jumps to event completion
• Barbell starts at 65 for women.
• Jumps: 20lb jumps to 125, then 10lb jumps to event completion. 

Event will be performed on an Olympic Barbell. Athletes may make any number of attempts within the 30 second time limit. As long as the barbell has broken contact with the ground at the time limit, the athlete will be allowed to finish their attempt. 

Allowable Equipment: one under belt and one hard belt, knee/elbow/wrist wraps. Non-USS branded Grip shirts.

Prohibited Equipment: Straps of any kind, suits, briefs, liquid chalk, no building up of belts will be allowed

Event 2: Deadlift for Reps

Sponsored by Frontier Nutrition Company

Deadlift bar from a conventional deadlift height. Max reps in 60 seconds. Athletes will receive both up and down commands. Bouncing of reps will be given a no rep. Dropping the barbell from the top will be given a no rep. Flagrant disregard for the equipment may be given a zero for the event, at judges discretion. Athletes will be given a "strap in" command prior to the "go" command. 

Allowable Equipment: Figure 6’s, Figure 8’s, Versa Straps, WOW straps, belts, sleeves, supportive belts, hard belts. 

Prohibited Equipment: deadlift suits, briefs, knee wraps, build up belts

Event 3: Super Yoke 

Sponsored by Clean Eatz Cheyenne

Athletes will be allowed to position themselves under the yoke without lifting it. Time starts on the judge's command. The athlete’s time will end when the front of the implement has crossed the finish line. 

30ft distance

60 second time limit. 

Unlimited drops. 

A slide penalty will be given to any athlete that slides the yoke. A 5 second time penalty will be added to any athlete that finishes the course with a slide. If the athlete fails to finish the course within the time cap and has a slide penalty, a 5 foot deduction will be removed from an athlete’s distance. Judges will reserve the right to end an athlete’s run if they determine the athlete is sliding excessively. 

Allowable Equipment: supportive belt, hard belt, knee/elbow/wrist wraps, Non-USS grip shirts 

Prohibited Equipment: suits, briefs, tacky of any kind

Event 4: Carry and Drag Medley

Sponsored by RevIVe IV Vitamin Bar

Athletes will start between the farmer’s handles, but without touching them. 

The event will start on the judge’s command. 

All three implements will start on opposite sides of the course. The athlete’s time will end when the entire sled crosses the line at the end of the course. Implements must be completed in the order published: farmer’s carry, husafell carry, sled drag.

Should an athlete fail to complete the course in the allotted 60 seconds, then the athlete will receive a distance measured to the front of the last implement carried. 

Farmer’s Carry will incur a slide penalty if there are slides within the 30’ course. The front of both handles must cross the line before athlete moves onto the next implement. Unlimited drops allowed.

A slide penalty will be given to any athlete that slides the farmers handles. A 5 second time penalty will be added to any athlete that finishes the course with a slide. If the athlete fails to finish the course within the time cap and has a slide penalty, a 5 foot deduction will be removed from an athlete’s distance. Judges will reserve the right to end an athlete’s run if they determine the athlete is sliding excessively. 

If you drop the Husafell, you may attempt to re-pick, but you will not receive any assistance in re-setting the implement. The implement will be picked from the ground in the medley. At the end of the course, the Husafell must be dropped under control onto crash pads or placed upright. If the Husafell bounces off of the crash pads, the athlete will be required to reset the implement prior to moving onto the next implement. Flagrant disregard for the equipment or throwing of the Husafell may be given a zero for the event, at judges discretion.

Athletes will pull the sled from a standard V-Handle. 

Allowable Equipment: Supportive Belt, Hard Belt, Sleeves, Wraps, Gloves, Liquid Chalk, Non-USS Grip shirts.

Prohibited Equipment: Straps, tacky of any kind

Event 5: Stone Series

Sponsored by On the Hook Fish & Chips

Athletes will load 5 stones over a bar. The bar height will be set at 48” for women and 52” for men. 

Bar dependent on construction of a new implement - check back for updates.

If the stone does not make contact with the ground on the other side of the bar when the 60 seconds of allotted time runs out, then the athlete will not receive credit for that stone. 

Tacky will be permitted, but only within designated areas. There will be a designated application area, and a designated area for cleanup. Any athletes caught with tacky outside of designated areas may receive a zero from the event. Any malicious behavior with the tacky could result in your removal from the competition. Please be respectful of the venue. 

Allowable Equipment: Supportive Belt, Hard Belt, Sleeves, Tacky, Non-USS Grip shirts.

You’re welcome to wear a different shirt for this event if you don’t want to risk damage to your new competition shirt with this event. The promoter and staff reserves the right to prohibit your uniform if they find it inappropriate for any reason. “Burner” shirts will be available at the competition for $10.