AS preparations steam ahead for the 400th Cotswolds Games this summer, 40 years ago a Journal reporter was experiencing some of the event’s sports at a special showcase.

In 1972 a German television company organised a “shin-kicking party” at the Tithe Barn in Bredon’s Norton.

The Germans behind a popular television programme could not believe what they heard about shin-kicking, the trademark event of the Dover’s Games, and decided to investigate.

All in the name of research, Stuttgart Television and their programme, Wer Dreimal Luegt?, which means “Who is lying three times?” travelled to England to film the party.

To get the party going the company ordered in gallons and gallons of free beer and cider for the locals and contracted Fred Archer – the popular local author – and a number of experienced shin-kickers to be the stars of their film.

The evening began with “singing for a pig”, in which the vocalist tried to put over a popular country refrain while holding a struggling porker.

Gawping through a horse collar came next and the first prize in a row of ugly mugs went to Vic Hopkins of Dumbleton.

Finally the big moment came, and Mr Archer introduced the shin kickers – Michael Davis, of Kemerton, and Collin Creese of Ashton-under-Hill.

With blackened teeth and false sideburns, these two men – a farmer and a miller in real life – looked the part of real yobs.

And they did not let the evermerrier audience down. With a snarl and a grunt they grappled and fought, kicked and lunged until the farmer crashed groaning to the floor.

The producer of the show, Herr Ekkehard Frank, was delighted with the evening’s work, which he will no doubt reveal as a true story on his programme.

After filming the Cotswold Olimpians, he was set to move on to Salisbury to film at a company called Rent-a-drunk. The claim was that the firm hired out real-life drunks to parties. “Wer dreimal luegt?” you may ask.