Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders (OCB)

Chronological History of OCB
January 2003

OCB (Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders) was founded in 2003 by Matt Shepley. The founding principles of OCB were:

• To offer quality bodybuilding, fitness & figure competitions in the United States.
• To provide opportunities for athletes to gain media exposure.
• To offer competitors an avenue to advance to a professional level and have the opportunity to participate in international level competition, if desired, while not having to sacrifice other opportunities that exist in the sport.
• To allow promoters to have flexibility to produce the events they fund in the manner they feel is best, as long as they're fair to athletes and drug testing is enforced.

OCB’s drug-free policy was first established as all shows being required to conduct a form of testing. The stated period for being drug-free for shows conducting polygraph testing was 5-years, unless otherwise stated by a promoter. 

April 2003

The first OCB sanctioned show was held April 12, 2003 in the Washington, DC area.

June 2003

OCB contest coverage began appearing in Steele Jungle Publications.

August 2003

OCB began publishing Physique Competitor magazine to provide print exposure for all OCB events.

January 2004

OCB events began offering the Ms. Fitness (IFSB - International Fitness Sanctioning Board) brand fitness division. This provided an outlet for fitness competitors to advance to national and international level competition, compete for cash and prizes, and receive national and international magazine and television exposure. 

Spring 2004

OCB contest coverage began appearing in Ms. Fitness Magazine. 

August 2004

Physique Competitor magazine was renamed to Fitness & Physique.

November 2004

OCB established the Yorton Cup to be its top title for the federation, to serve as its national championship. 

2005

OCB became an amateur affiliate of the IFPA (International Fitness & Physique Association), a professional level federation for bodybuilding & figure, thereby providing an avenue for competitors to reach a pro level through OCB events.

April 2005

OCB contest coverage began appearing in Natural Muscle Magazine. 

January 2006

OCB changed its drug-free policy. A minimum of 5-years drug-free became required. IFPA Pro qualifiers were required to polygraph test all competitors, and urine test overall winners for bodybuilding & figure. 

June 2006

OCB established a spring national championship, the OCB Centaur.