I think some of us are being a little harsh given the information we have. We do not know how long the area was. We do not know if the Auster pilot had walked the strip, if he was a friend, he may have been considering this for some years.
Why jump to the worst possible conclusion? He did not bend it, and he may have been well inside his capabilities. I prefer to think he had some fun, and assume it was properly done until evidence emerges it was not. If everyone who does something out of the ordinary is shot down the moment they post we will have a very boring forum.
One last point, I am building a Tri gear, which will give most Austers a hard time on the STOL front. Short field is not just the preserve of vintage taildraggers, things have moved on.
Rod