For months, they have been counting calories, hauling themselves out of bed for dawn cardio and fine-tuning their physiques for a few fleeting moments under the lights. On Saturday, Oct. 17, that work finally gets a stage of its own in the Capital City.
The inaugural Helena Classic, billed as Helena's first-ever bodybuilding and physique competition, takes over the Best Western Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel in downtown Helena.
The event exists largely because of one woman's personal reckoning with the sport. Founder Stephanie Jolley is a personal trainer who has turned her passion into a competition. Since then, organizing the Helena Classic has become a nearly around-the-clock commitment. "It is 24/7. It's become my other child," she said. "I don't think there's actually any part of my day that doesn't at this point involve Helena Classic."
As a personal trainer, Jolley has worked with a wide range of clients. Her aim with the competition is to build another place where people can challenge themselves and recognize how far they have come. "This became something of giving a stage or platform to other people so that other people can prove themselves or grow, start something new," she said.
That mission has already pulled in first-timers. Harley Larson will make her competitive debut in the fit model division. She trains roughly two hours a day, almost every day of the week. "It's a little intense," Larson said. "You have a very strict food program. A gallon of water a day, 10,000 steps, you gotta get your cardio, get your lifts in."
Larson said the fact that the show was Helena's first helped convince her to make it her own first. "Since it's Helena's first show, I decided why not it be my first show?" she said. "I kinda just wanted to prove to myself that I could do hard things and take the gym to the next level." Jolley has also coached her on posing in the run-up to competition day. Even so, Larson said, much of the challenge has been internal. "It's honestly a huge mental game," she said. "Just keep pushing through, have the discipline and motivation to show up every day and give it your all."
More seasoned competitors are making the trip, too. Matthew Mohar has been bodybuilding for four years and lifting for much of his life. After previously competing in Missoula, he jumped at the chance to compete closer to home. "The discipline. The discipline is what I enjoy," Mohar said. "My entire life is all structured out." His competition preparation can start as early as 4 a.m. with morning cardio. "It's a lot of discipline. A lot of sacrifice. Hard work, routine, regiment, it takes everything from ya," he said.
Jolley believes those sacrifices are exactly why everyone who reaches the stage deserves recognition, regardless of where they place. "When you get up there, those people deserve a round of applause," she said. "Some people have lost a hundred pounds. Some of them are recovering addicts."
Support for the event has come from beyond the Capital City. Michael Hubner, owner of Adonis Strength and Fitness in Butte, connected with Jolley while the event was being organized and is contributing toward the competition, helping cover expenses including tanning and other fees.
Hubner's gym opened in Butte in January, a homecoming for a Butte kid who was first introduced to lifting by his grandfather in a garage full of equipment salvaged from the landfill. He and his wife, Rachel Watt, opened Adonis after visiting gyms on their travels — pulling ideas, and equipment, from places as far-flung as Ontario, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Hubner sees the Helena Classic as part of a broader shift across the state. "It's about time that we have a few more shows here," he said. "Montana itself is growing with bodybuilding. Gyms are popping up everywhere."
The Helena Classic will feature both bodybuilding and strongman competition, with the 406 Strength Pro-Am bringing live strongman action to the event's expo experience. Organizers describe the day as a full celebration of strength, dedication and community, with local vendors, music provided by Bradshaw Media and a full bar hosted by Silver Star Steak Company. VIP seating is available for those who want the best seats in the house. A silent auction during the event will support local community organizations. Jolley has also discussed potentially expanding future events to include powerlifting and a 5K.
For Larson, Saturday will ultimately be about seeing months of work come together under the lights. "Obviously I want to win, but just to be up on that stage and feel confident and proud of myself will be the most rewarding," she said.
Organizers hope this year's inaugural competition is the first of many, creating an opportunity for Montana athletes to compete closer to home while continuing to grow Helena's health and fitness community. For Jolley, the through-line is the same one that first drew her to the sport: the stage as a place to prove something to yourself.