I got to spend a day shooting a few different events at the 2006 Huntsman World Senior Games held in St. George, Ut.
The games began in 1987 as the World Senior Games, an international senior sports competition. Founded by Daisy and John H. Morgan, Jr., the Games began with their vision of an international sports event for men and women ages 50 and better. Both agreed that the golden years were better when good health and physical fitness became a way of life, not an occasional hobby.
Since I had only one day, I only got to four events, but it was lots of fun photographing these senior athletes. The smell of Bengay permeated the air...
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This is the Cowboy Action Shooting event held at the Dixie Desperados shooting range. All of the athletes are required to wear full western garb and all had a western alias. The object was to shoot as many pre-determined targets, as fast as possible. They even let me shoot some...and no, I am still not a supporter of the NRA.
The next sport was lawn bowling. I had never seen this sport before, but the people were nice and there was some sweet light.
Next: Tennis and Track
The last race at track and field set a World Record. Sisters Nelda Shippen Reed, 80, Ruby Shippen Call, 83, Verla Shippen Ball, 91, and Ava Shippen Hessing, 85, became the first relay team made up entirely of octogenarians, to run the 4x100 meter race. Since this has never been attempted before, as long as they stayed in their lane and made clean hand-offs, they could take as long as they needed. Their time was 3:51.85.