Only two IFBB Pro Figure shows remain for the 2010 calendar year. The IFBB Kentucky Muscle Pro competitor list continues to grow and three women will qualify for the 2011 Figure Olympia. It’s a perfect opportunity to snag a qualification before the holidays and take the pressure off in the new year. Promoter Brent Jones always does a solid job with this event and sure to do so once again. The action kicks off next Saturday, November 13, in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Hardbody Breakdown: (competitor list as of November 5, 2010)

Teresa Anthony – Teresa is on a roll since the Olympia. Narrowly missing first in Houston and then snagging the top spot in San Diego. She’s the one to beat in this show. She’s always done well at this show and I can’t see this year being any different. There was some rumblings she may not be doing the show despite being on the early lists. If she ends up not being in the line-up the door is open but as of now she’s the one to beat.

Elisha Archibold - We last saw Elisha at the Dallas Europa Super show. She’ll look to crack the top 10 here and could but it won’t be easy.

Tina Marie Bloomfield - Tina hasn’t been on stage yet this year. We’ll have to see what improvements she’s made since the 2009 Atlantic City show where she was 16th.

Cheryl Brown – She’s back to defend her title from last year. Cheryl was the winner here in 2009 and continued to find the top 3 in her following three shows of 2010. She landed in the winners spot in New York but fell out of the top 10 at the Olympia. She’ll likely be in the top call-out again here but will have her work cut out for her to repeat as the champ.

Ava Cowan - Ava landed in the top three at the Border States and is already qualified for the 2011 Figure Olympia. The pressure is off her to qualify. Now she can use a show like this to fine tune the little things, like presentation and conditioning. I’d like to see her a little “less full” than she was in California. She should be a top contender in Kentucky.

Jennifer DeJoya – One of the stand out shorties while in the NPC ranks, Jennifer has been up in down with her placings in the IFBB. She carries a good deal of muscle and conditioning is the key to her success. If too hard, she’ll be on the outside looking in. A top five finish is a noteworthy goal and realistic for Jennifer.

Teresa Gillian – We haven’t seen Teresa in awhile and with good reason. Teresa took some time off and had a baby. Momma will return to the stage and look to pick up where she left off in 2008. She was 7th at the ’08 New York Pro and has the potential to be in the mix here. Welcome Back!

Valerie Haines – Val was 10th at this show last year and I could see her moving up this year. She has continued to refine her physique and if she can bring a tight back side she could be in the hunt.

Jacqueline Hoppe – This will be Jackie’s pro debut after taking home the overall title at this year’s Team Universe. We’ll have to wait and see how she stacks up in the pro ranks but she has the potential to do well straight out of the gate.

Ella Horton – Ella will be making her pro debut after earning pro status at this year’s Masters Nationals. She’ll look to show some of the younger competitors that age is just a number.

Charmayne Jackson – Another rookie making her debut. She took top honors in her class at the 2010 Team Universe. She has large quad development and packs a good deal of muscle on her frame. We’ll have to see how it compares to the others in this line up.

Candice Keene – Candice is having a break out year. She’s coming off a top ten finish at the Olympia and has two pro wins under her suit this year. If she is in shape she could be your winner. It will all come down to what type of conditioning she brings to the stage. She could collect win number three if it’s what she displayed in Jacksonville earlier this year.

Cea Anna Kerr - One of the lone Canadians in the line up, Cea Anna is back one again. She’s been competing for a few years and has yet to find her stride in the pro ranks. It will be challenging for her to crack the top spots here but a top 10 placing would be a victory for her, at least in my opinion.

Amy Lee Martin – Amy brought a new, refined look to this year’s Border States but was on the outside looking in on the top spots. She’ll look to make some fine tuning and get in the mix for a top spot here. A top 10 finish here would be an achievable goal for this show as she has yet to find it in the pro ranks. She was the 2008 Overall NPC USA Figure winner and her highest finish in the pros was last weekend.

Stephanie McDonald - Stephanie gutted it out in the NPC ranks the last few years coming close to a pro card a number of times before earning one this year. She’ll look to make a name for herself in her debut. Attention to the little details will help her at this show like hair, make up and stage presence.

Chelsey Morgenstern – Chelsey continues to refine her physique and improve her stage presence. She was 13th at the New York Pro and will look to improve on that showing at this event.

Emily Nicholson – Emily has a different type of structure than many of the other women in the pro ranks. She continues to work on her weak points and her posing can help her move up here.

Shalmieno Paper – She gets an award for one of the longest distance traveled. Shalmieno was out of the top 15 in this year’s Pittsburgh contest and will have her work cut out for her to move up here. If she can bring a little better condition and a different suit than the PA show she could.

Ann Pratt – Ann continues to improve her physique and she looks more and more at ease on stage. I like the improvements she’s made and could see her having her best showing of her career at this show.

Tiffany Procopio – Another rookie making her debut, Tiffany has a nice physique and carries a good deal of muscle. Her challenge is finding balance with her conditioning. Many times in the NPC ranks she was way too hard. We’ll see what type of physique she displays in her first pro show.

Danielle Reutter - Danielle is wasting no time jumping into the pro ranks after earning her pro card at this year’s NPC Nationals. She’s done a great job of fine tuning her physique and could be one of the highest placing rookies.

Natalia Revajova Lenartova – Natalia was on US soil earlier this year at the Arnold Amateur Figure event where she found gold. She’ll maker her IFBB Pro debut and look to continue where she left off.

Shala Singer - Shala turned pro earlier this yea at the Team Universe event. She has nice shape. We’ll see if she can improve from her 14th place finish at the Border States, where she made her pro debut.

Mikaila Soto – Ms. Soto has an exotic look and has yet to find her stride since turning pro earlier this year. She has a good deal of muscle but continues to refine her physique. I look for her to bring her best package to date at this event.

Gennifer Strobo – Strobo is the X-Factor at this show. She could be your winner or she could be outside of the top three. She’s done a tremendous job of improving her physique since turning pro and has the challenge of being “full”. If she’s too small she looks stringy and it’s not a good look for her. If she can bring a full physique to the stage she’ll return to the Olympia in 2011.

Mavis Tozzi – It’s been a couple years since we’ve seen Mavis compete. The Floridian will return to the stage for the first time since having a baby. She has a nice physique and it will be good to see her back on stage.

Natalie Waples - I have to admit I was surprised at the physique Natalie brought to California. I didn’t think she’d carry enough muscle to hang in the top spots. I was wrong. Natalie showed she has a competitive physique for Figure and will be in the hunt at this show.

Sandie Ward – Sandie is back again after being out of the mix at the Border States. I’d like to see Sandie return to Fitness where I think she’d be more competitive.

Tina White – Tina will look to rebound from her showing at the Phoenix Pro earlier this year. Anything other than tied for 16th would be a step up for Tina in this show.

There you have it kids. My hardbody breakdown of next weekend’s show. Will we see Cheryl Brown repeat as the champ or will a new queen be crowned. If I was a gambling man I’d say we see a new champion announced next weekend. It will be interesting to see how the rookies do in their pro debuts. Who do you like for the win? Think someone has been getting over looked or is one to pay closer attention to? Give a shout out in the comments field.

IFBB Pro Figure Schedule of Events:
Saturday, Nov 13th, 2010
• 9:00am Check-in & Meeting
• 11:00am Prejudging
• 7:00pm Finals

Kentucky International Convention Center
221 4th Street
Louisville, KY 40228

More Info: http://www.kentuckymuscle.com

Good luck to all the competitors.

Check out photos from yesterday’s Kentucky Muscle Pro on IFBBpro.com. The one-piece and the two-piece rounds are posted. That brings the IFBB competitive season to a close. The action picks up again in February at the Phoenix Pro.

So far, it looks like it will be Julie Ann Kulla vs Cheryl Brown at the Kentucky Pro prejudging, with Teresa Anthony, Patricia Mello and Terri Turner rounding out the top 5. But as we all know, anything can change.

The last IFBB show of the year takes place today at the International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Twenty IFBB Figure Pros will put on their high heels and blinged out suits in hopes of qualifying for the 2010 Figure Olympia. Stay tuned throughout the day as we cover the action and keep you posted here on HARDBODY.com.

The pros are slated to take the stage around 11:00 am for their prejudging.

This weekend will be the final IFBB show of 2009. The IFBB Kentucky Pro Muscle Figure is shaping up to be a very competitive event. There are currently 17 pros in the show but I look for a couple more from Sacramento to make the trip. I’m not 100% for sure but don’t be surprised if you see Julie Ann Kulla and Cheryl Brown jump into this show. Cheryl placed second at the Sacramento Pro and Julie Ann was fourth. Should they enter this event they’d definitely be two of the favorites after their Sacramento showing. There are three Olympia qualifying spots up for grabs this Saturday.

IFBB KENTUCKY PRO MUSCLE FIGURE COMPETITOR LIST
Teresa Anthony
Stephanie Billings
Tivisay Briceno
Natalie Calland
Rachel Cammon
Cristiana Casoni
Jessica Clay
Valerie Haines
Amy Lee Martin
Patricia Mello
Sherlyn Roy
Liane Seiwald
Laura Sutter
Ann Titone
Stephanie Togrul
Jennifer Toth
Terri Turner

Stay tuned for more updates this week as we head into the season finale of the 2009 IFBB schedule.

**UPDATE** I can confirm that Cheryl Brown and Julie Ann Kulla will both be competing in this show. Also competing, will be Australia’s Rosa-Maria Romero. That takes the show to 20 and there may be more by the time the official list is announced.

The IFBB Kentucky Pro will be held one week after the Sacramento Pro but it currently only has 8 competitors. I look for this list to grow as the event gets closer and it would be a smart move for anyone who doesn’t crack the top three in Sacramento to make the trip to the final pro Figure show of the year.

IFBB Kentucky Pro Competitor List
Tivisay Briceno
Natalie Calland
Rachel Cammon
Cristiana Casoni
Valerie Haines
Ann Titone
Stephanie Togrul
Terri Turner

I was informed of the following update by the IFBB Pro League:

The Kentucky scorecard has been amended to abide by IFBB Pro Rule 22.7.7 [breaking of ties].  Thus, Desha Rodriguez, with 88 points and a better RD2 score than Liza Hughes, also tied with 88 points, is 14th; Liza Hughes is 15th; Julie Ann Kulla, with 92 points, is 16th; all other competitors, with 96 points, are 17th.

Thanks to Tony Blinn for providing the update and information regarding how the placings were awarded.

Brenda Smith finishes ’08 with a win.

Photos from the two-piece round are now available on IFBBpro.com.

Today’s image was snapped at the Kentucky Muscle contest which served as the last IFBB show for 2008. The competitive season will start again at the Arnold Classic for the fitness and figure pros.

Kentucky Booties.

The Kentucky Pro Figure show concluded and it looks like the show belongs to Brenda Smith. She placed third at this event last year which qualified her for the 2008 Olympia. Based on this morning call-outs, I’d have her leaving Kentucky the winner. The judges did a good job of mixing up the competitors and leaving everyone wondering who would end up in the top spots. Your top six will be Brenda Smith, Teresa Anthony, Michelle Flake, Darlina Brown, Amy Peters and Patricia Mello. What order they end up is a crap shoot but if I were judging I’d have the following:

2 Piece:
1. Brenda Smith
2. Michelle Flake
3. Teresa Anthony
4. Patricia Mello
5. Darlina Brown
6. Amy Peters

1 Piece:
1. Brenda Smith
2. Teresa Anthony
3. Patricia Mello
4. Michelle Flake
5. Darlina Brown
6. Amy Peters

Brenda Smith is on point and has a great physique. While she gets lost in the bigger shows, she shines in the smaller shows. Michelle Flake tightened up a bit from Sacramento. Patricia Mello was the surprise to the top line-ups. She was in the lower call-outs in Sacramento last week. She has a nice physique and it is proof that anyone who claims it’s all a “name game” is off base. I like Teresa Anthony’s look and she has very nice lines. Darlina Brown also looks improved from her 10th place finish last week.

The finals will take place tonight and we’ll see if I am correct in my assessments on the placings. The venue is a nice place and walking distance from the host hotel. Kentucky is an “interesting” place but will write more about that later. Check back for complete results tonight.

Kentucky Pro – top call- out.

Kentucky Pro – prejudging comparisons.

The Kentucky Muscle Pro Figure will take place this Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky. I’ll be on hand providing coverage here as well as FLEXonline.com and Bodybuilding.com. This has shaped up to be a great lineup with no clear cut winner leading into the show. Last weekend’s top four will not be making the trip which leaves the door open for three women to qualify for the 2009 Olympia.

Competitor List via IFBBpro.com:
1. Teresa ANTHONY, USA
2. Tivisay BRICENO, USA
3. Darlina BROWN, USA
4. Andrea CARVALHO-FERREIRA, Brazil
5. Nadya CASTELLAS, Canada
6. Becky CLAWSON, USA
7. Michelle CRAVEN, USA
8. Maiken EMBORG, Sweden
9. Michelle FLAKE, USA
10. Heather GREEN, USA
11. Liza HUGHES, USA
12. Julie Ann KULLA, USA
13. Georgina LONA, Mexico
14. Christina MEHLING, Canada
15. Patricia MELLO, Brazil
16. Melissa MONTANARO-GRIFFIN, USA
17. Claire PARMLEY, USA
18. Amy PETERS, USA
19. Mandy POLK, USA
20. Desha RODRIGUEZ, USA
21. Liane SEIWALD, USA
22. Brenda SMITH, USA
23. Laura SUTTER, USA
24. Chaundra TANGI, USA
25. Christine WAN, USA
26. Elizabeth WHITE-LAMM, USA
27. Jessica WRIGHT, USA

Julie Ann Kulla stormed the stage at the 2008 NPC JR Nationals and left with the overall figure crown. She wasted no time making a name for herself in the pro ranks by placing second at the New York Pro. That qualified her for the Olympia where she finished 12th. This Minnesote beauty wasn’t content with finishing out the year in Vegas and decided to get back on the eliptical machine for one more round in ’08. She tells me her contact will be faxed in tomorrow morning and is headed down to the Kentuck Pro.

This definitely shakes things up at this show. Don’t be surprised if you see her in the top callouts at this show. Julie Ann tells me she plans on coming in a bit tighter then she did at the Olympia and is ready to get on stage.