SLIVEN, Bulgaria – “This is up there with Ranger School and it’s not close,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Reese, assigned to Eagle Troop, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, after competing in the Sliven Strong Man Competition, in Sliven, Bulgaria, May 6, 2022.
“I’ve been in for the better part of eight years, and this competition definitely whooped my tail. Nothing prepared me for this,” Reese said.
The Sliven Strong Man Competition is named in honor of Sliven revolutionary Hadzhi Dimitir, who ascended a mountain with 43 liters of wine to provide for his unit.
The band of rebels would send the strongest of them down to the village to gather supplies and bring them back up the mountain.
Petya Georgieva, Novo Selo Training Area community liaison officer, who is a Sliven native, spoke to the importance of Dimitir’s legacy, “The revolutionaries wanted Bulgaria to be free and they did everything possible to do it.”
The U.S. engagement in Bulgarian traditions is something that was presented with welcoming arms and accepted with warm receptions.
“From the people that organized the event, everybody is happy that we will have U.S. military participants in this event. They always invite [U.S. Soldiers] every year; everybody is happy for international participation,” said Georgieva.
Competitors are tasked with more than just the initial three-kilometer hike up the “Haiduk Trail” or “Haidushka Path”. Once they complete the first portion of the competition, they take part in knife throwing, stone tossing, and finish off with a wrestling match against other participants.
“We are very happy seeing the Soldiers here and the staff, and actually participating not just passively but so actively and enthusiastically with it,” says the Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ivan Hristanov, who spoke on what it means to have the U.S. participate in something so rich in his country's history.
“The wrestling was absolutely amazing. The spirit in both the U.S. side and the Bulgarian side was really great,” Hristanov said. Georgieva went on to express how much the food had excited her, “I had heard they have lamb, beer, and wine after the event, there will be folklore music. It will be something different, it’s a cultural exchange for both sides.”
The entire event left a lasting impression on both countries' participants and more importantly gave Reese a message to share with his fellow Soldiers back home.
“Just seeing people intermingling with each other, you don’t really get this opportunity as an American Soldier. Being able to come to the country and interact with the locals while experiencing their culture is the best experience.”
To learn more about U.S. Army Europe and Africa, visit: https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/
To learn more about V Corps, visit: https://www.vcorps.army.mil/
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