HARDBODY Fit Female News & Events

When I posted the “Best in Show” photo from JR USA, the response was overwhelmingly positive. I received numerous emails and texts from women asking who’s booty it was. In fact, the only negative comment I heard was from a guy who thought it was disrespectful but later apologized and said he overreacted. I posted that image as motivation and inspiration for the number of women who visit this site and that is exactly how it was received. If you take offense to a good butt then you’re in the wrong industry. Nothing wrong with being proud of a fit booty and inspiring others to get their asses in shape as well.

We’ll be posting the occasional booty shot here to help inspire you to work yours just a bit harder for your next competition. This time around one of the best booties in the show belonged to Sonya Vecchiarelli. Sonya took home top honors in the Bikini A class as well as an IFBB Bikini Pro card. She rocked more than just a fit booty, see the photos here.

Sonya waits her turn to go center-stage.

Congrats Sonya and welcome to the pros.

Cookie, Cookie, Cookie starts with C! Chicago starts with C. Hey why not enjoy cookies in Chicago? That’s exactly what NPC competitor Shelley Hillesheim decided to do at the 2009 NPC JR Nationals.

Shelley enjoying a cookie or six.

Shelley learned everything she knows about cookies from the C-monster himself.

Sometimes listening to everyone but yourself can cause you to go a little batty. During my conversation with newly crowned IFBB Bikini Pro Jennifer Celeste, it became apparent to me that she fell victim to this. Jennifer competed a couple weeks ago in the NPC California State show and failed to make the top 5 in her class. I wasn’t there but from the looks of her photos you could tell she wasn’t at her best. When I asked her about it in Chicago she said, “ya that pretty much sucked.” So she went with what worked in the past, came in a few pounds lighter, wore a different suit and you could see her confidence level soar. She rocked the stage and was definitely a stand out in the show.

Lesson here: your confidence level translates on stage. If you’re off your game it will show on stage. Do ya thang and do what works for you.

Over the weekend I snapped several thousand contest photos at the 2009 NPC JR Nationals. The fitness routines are always my favorite to capture and this weekend was no different. Check out the photos from all the classes, here on bodybuilding.com. If you’re looking to order prints from the competition, you can do so by contacting the official photographer of the event J.M. Manion.

A moment in time during a fitness routine.

The scores have been tabulated and now we wait for the results of the 2009 NPC Jr. Nationals. Who will leave the NPC ranks and join the elite group in the IFBB? We’ll find out in a few hours. If you haven’t been following the live action you can do so by viewing the twitter feed box on the right or follow the tweets at www.twitter.com/hardbodynews.

I had my happy ass planted in the press pit, photographing for bodybuilding.com and this is how I saw things shake out. Keep in mind these are only MY OPINIONS and not those of the NPC or the judges. I mostly agreed with the callouts and there was only one class that really left me baffled.

Flying high at the NPC JR. Nationals.

Here’s a look outside the host hotel at the NPC Jr. Nationals. This definitely isn’t good for the competitors hair or tan. Luckily most competitors are staying inside the host hotel which is connected to the venue. Note the stop or lack there of by this cabbie. lol

It does put a bit of a damper on the outdoor photo shoots but hey whaddya do? Not much when Mother Nature decide she wants to take a leak.

If the check-in is any indication of what’s to come for tonight’s competition in Chicago, it is going to be kick ass show. There were a number of very beautiful women who had their game faces on. It’s time to get this party started! Here’s the breakdown for today’s events. Follow the action live on our twitter account at www.twitter.com/hardbodynews or just hit refresh and check out the box on the right hand side.

Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel and Grand ABCD Ballroom

9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Final Weigh-in/Check-In (Men &Women) United A/B
3 p.m. Fitness, Figure, Bikini Mandatory Meeting Ballroom
3:30 p.m. Women’s Bodybuilding Mandatory Meeting Ballroom

Please note: Report times will be confirmed at weigh/check-ins on Friday

3:30 p.m. Doors open to public
4 p.m. Fabulous Female Friday – Prejudging Ballroom

Today will feature the women with the Fitness Routines, Women’s Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini.

Imagine if you will… NPC figure competitors Ana Tigre, Terri Turner and Candice Houston were a musical group in the 70s. If they were it might look a little like the Arabesque’s performance of Friday Night.

I have to agree with Arabesque when they say, “Every night should be a Friday night”. Especially one like tonight that will go down in Chicago’s Regency O’Hare.

Friday night
Wrong or right
Dim the light we’re out of sight
Friday night
Wrong or right
Hold me tight with all your might
Friday night is alright
Every night should be a Friday night

I caught up with IFBB Figure Pro, Alicia Harris for a shoot in her hometown of Chicago. She’s still in great shape after her pro debut last month at the California Pro. Here’s a couple quick shots from our afternoon.

Alicia Harris isn’t always “smiley”.

Alicia Harris  in Chicago.

If you’re in Chicago for the NPC JR Nationals, stop by the Labrada Nutrition booth and say hell to Alicia. Mention HARDBODY.com and she might have a special gift for ya.

Schedule of events for this afternoon.

Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel
24 hours Microwave Room Delta B
24 hours ProTan – Appointment Only Malpensa
9-8 p.m. Promoter’s Office Grand Reg Office
6-7 p.m. Weigh-in (Men) United A/B
7-8 p.m. Weigh-in/Check-In (All Women) United A/B

Hotel is clean, easy to get to ($9 cab ride or free shuttle) and super convenient. It’s muggy, overcast and humid in the Windy City but all good. Ran into Performance Ready coach and IFBB Fitness pro, Carla Sanchez who was taking elevator rides with her son and delivering some food to her team of hotties.

I’m off to get in a few photo shoots and then check out the check-in. Stay tuned for continual updates throughout the weekend. If you’re at the show say hello. I’m the guy NOT carrying a gallon jug.

Team Tight Curves will be representing in full force this weekend at the NPC Jr. Nationals. Stop by their booth as they will be accepting applications to become members of the team there.

Team Members slated to be in the Windy City:
Pam Soper
Jennifer Marchetta
Heather frey
Candice houston
Arrin crain
Kim currie
Babette mulford
Jena robertson
Alyssa stroud
Ana tigre
Jamie Baird
Jaime Meade
Cheryl brown
Ashley cooper
Lori pavesi
Jeanne Nimmer
Elizabeth earhart
Marieann newman
Karin kimura
Judy weichman
Kat holmes
Jessica lawrence
Becky Youngberg
Terri turner
Deanna Rabosky
Wendy gardnert
Amanda Victoria Lorimer
Tara Green
Emily Nicholson
Ann Titone
Kelli Horn
Soleivi hernandez
Amber Foss
Christina Watson

This Friday, the NPC JR. Nationals will kick off with the ladies. The breakdown for the various categories are in courtesy of J.M. Manion and the NPC NEWS. It looks like it will be one helluva show for the women.

• Bikini - 48
• Bodybuilding - 17 (Note: Only 1 competitor in HW class)
• Figure - 157
• Fitness - 22

Total - 244

The 2009 NPC Jr. Nationals will take place next weekend in Chicago, IL. The ladies will kick things off next Friday with their prejudging at 4pm. Promoter Pam Betz tells me she expects close to 400 competitors total with about 250-60 of those being female competitors. This is one of my favorite events of the year to attend and photograph. The venue and host hotel are connected which makes it easy to get back and forth without a hassle. Pam and her team do a tremendous job of making sure everything runs smoothly and are always easy to work with.

For more information visit: npcjrnationals.com

How many of you will be in attendance next weekend? Ones to watch? I know a few hardbody faithful will be there. We’ll be profiling a few next week.

The NPC Jr. Nationals has been a launch pad for a number of competitors over the years. Recognize the three women in this photo?

Meriza & Jenn are all smiles while Huong contemplates some chicken wings.

Meriza Deguzman, Jenn Gates and Huong Arcinas battled their way through the amateur ranks and eventually all reached IFBB Pro status. This shot was taken at the 2007 JR Nationals where Jenn went on to win the overall crown. As most of you are well aware, she’s the reigning Ms. Figure Olympia. Might we see another future star emerge from this year’s contest? We’ll find out in a couple weeks.

If you plan to attend the NPC JR Nationals contest please take note of this announcement from J.M. Manion:

NOTICE TO ALL 2009 NPC JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS COMPETITORS
The Following Athlete’s Are Required To Participate In The NPC NEWS Photo Shoot With J.M. Manion On Sunday, June 21 At The Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel From 8:30 a.m. To Approximately 12 Noon:

· MEN’S OVERALL WINNER
· WOMEN’S OVERALL WINNER
· THE 3 FITNESS HEIGHT CLASS WINNERS
· THE 4 FIGURE HEIGHT CLASS WINNERS THAT QUALIFIED FOR THE IFBB
· THE 4 BIKINI HEIGHT CLASS WINNERS THAT QUALIFIED FOR THE IFBB

Only The 5 Overall Winners Are To Bring Their Overall Trophies.

The Men’s & Women’s Overall Winners Are To Bring Their Posing Suit & Posing Oil.

The Bikini, Figure & Fitness Winners Are To Bring Their 2-Piece Competition Suits Along With Any Other 2-Piece Bikinis.

There is also an opportunity to do individual photo shoots that afternoon for NPC NEWS so the more bikinis you bring the better.

All Competitors Please Plan Accordingly With Your Travel Plans.

Julie Ann Kulla joined the ranks of the IFBB by winning the 2008 NPC Jr. Nationals overall figure title. She hails out of Minnesooooooota. Yes you have to do your worst FARGO impersonation when you say Minnesota. This little china doll works as a graphic designer and you’ll probably see some of her work at the Olympia. Julie Ann works with one of the biggest trade show booth companies. I had the chance to chat with her after her win at Jr. Nationals and she is a pleasure to be around. We spoke a bit more at the NPC USAs where we did a quick shoot. Despite the stupid hot temperatures, we were able to get a few good shots. Julie Ann is a a natural in front of the camera, takes direction well and isn’t afraid to turn on “the look”. She’ll be making her pro debut at this year’s NY PRO Figure contest, which is held in conjunction with the Team Universe. Don’t be surprised if you see her qualifying for the Olympia her first time out.

Julie Ann Kulla has her sights set on her pro debut.

She’s the daughter of a NFL coach. She knows what it’s like to be around greatness. She is Betsy McNally Harris - new IFBB Fitness pro. I’ve known Betsy for a few years now and she has come a long way in her routines and physique. Betsy put it all together in Chicago and when I saw her at check-in I didn’t recognize her. She had never been in the condition she was for this show and she looked like a ghost of her Jr. USA physique. I caught up with Betsy and asked her to share a bit more about herself…

Betsy showing off her strength in Chicago.

How many years have you been competing?
I have been competing in fitness since 2003 but I was a competitive gymnast for 12 years.

What changed for you in Chicago that you were able to put it all together?
Honestly, I got a divorce, new job, new trainer and was motivated by people who literally told me I couldn’t do it. I eliminated 80 percent of the stress in my life, moved into a cracker box of a studio apartment and focused on training.

I removed all the negative influences in my life and replaced them with positive people. I changed trainers and my new trainer (Michael Fuelner) made a huge difference; his nutrition plan rocked. He updated it often and held me accountable. He believed in me and saw how my body responded to different foods.

I also live in Chicago so everything was easy and I friends and clients there to support me.

How did you get involved with Jen Hendershott’s camps and are you still active in them?
YES! I still work for and am very active in Phat Camp!!

I am actually moving from Chicago to North Carolina to work full time with Phat Camp. I am nutrtion coordinator for our Live Phat program!

I used to live in Columbus where Jen and I hooked up initially because I needed advice on how to compete. She helped me with diet, choreography and we became fast friends. She hired me onto her staff and I have traveled the country doing Phat Camps with her. She is not only a great motivator but one of my best dearest friends and I am so lucky to have her as a boss and a friend.

How was it growing up with a father who is one of the top coaches in the NFL?
GROWING UP WITH JIM MCNALLY??? Haha. It was an honor. I learned a lot about professional sports, how to train, be disciplined, set goals… football was like religion in my family… no Sunday at church - we were at the stadium. I had a few rough Monday mornings at school when our team lost but for the most part there were a ton of perks…. meeting players, attending VIP events, traveling to super bowls and big playoff games… Its amazing how stressful of a job being a coach in the NFL is. I am proud of his accomplishments, 3 Super Bowls and 4 NFL teams and 30 years later, he finally retired a couple of months ago. His influence in pro sports definitely inspired me to be a Pro in mine;)

Decided when you pro debut will be?
Pro Debut? Hmmm..that is yet to be determined. I know I am not ready to jump up there with the Hendershotts, Kim Kleins and Adela’s of the fitness world yet. There are a few areas the judges told me to work on and that is my main priority. I will probably do a smaller pro show in early 2009, although my dream would be to compete with Hendershott at the Arnold one day. I would love to hang out with her backstage for the first time!!

Betsy getting her lift on at the 08 Jr. Nationals.

Thanks Betsy and all the best in the future. Tell Jim I’ll get him those photos one day.

Another 2008 NPC Jr. Nationals is in the books. We managed to avoid extreme heat and the gnarly locusts. Those who attended last year’s event know what I’m referring to with the fugly little creatures. Check out the review on bodybuilding.com.

I had a chance to meet up with Khristy Poteat at the 2008 NPC Jr. Nationals, where she was competing in Figure. She’s a super sweet girl that has an All-American, buff Barbiedoll look. Khristy was looking to improve on her Charleston showing (the Jr USA) and present a slightly different look. She definitely accomplished that goal. At the JR USAs Khristy was very well conditioned, however the look was too hard and she appeared too muscular for figure. Thursday night she told me she was coming in a bit softer and had worked on her posing. I could tell in her face that she wasn’t as hard as when I saw her in Charleston. It was a good thing for her and when she took the stage it was a much, much better look. Her posing was good this time and the softened look was in line with what the judges are rewarding. Despite not placing as high as she would have liked she was in good spirits after the show. What’s next for her? She hasn’t decided but she has a great physique and you can see her on the cover of the current Southern Muscle Plus issue. Congratulations on the cover Khristy!

Khristy showin not only her cover but also her eye catching smile.

Check out all the photos from the NPC Jr. Nationals on bodybuilding.com. A few of the backstage photos from the show. This show is one of the best to be able to go in and out of the press pit and get good backstage photos during the night show. Everyone is a little more laid back and relaxed at the evening events.

Mary having some fun before going on stage.

Nita Marquez smiling for the camera backstage.

The six overall figure winners backstage.

A look from behind the stage during a posing routine.

Catherine Holland stood out at the 2008 NPC JR USA, where she won her class in figure but missed snagging a pro card. I felt she could of have turned pro there without much argument. She proved my sentiments to be correct when she took the stage at last weekend’s 2008 NPC Jr Nationals and not only one her class but also nabbed one of the four IFBB Figure pro cards. Catherine has a very sexy physique and quite confidence on stage. I had the opportunity to shoot with her the day after the show and saw another side to he bag of tricks… her mad modeling skills. Catherine knows how to work the camera and this isn’t something everyone is good at. It takes practice and skills to be a good model and it was clear she wasn’t a rookie to the lense. Don’t be surprised if you see Catherine in a number of publications strutting her stuff in the months ahead.

Catherine Holland shows off her hard work.

Catherine was kind enough to share a bit more about herself with HARDBODY.com. She’ll be taking the rest of the year off from competing as the Jr Nationals marked her third show of the year. This Oregonian (for now - she’ll be moving soon) will be absent from the pro stage in 2008 but it watch for her to light it up in her debut next year.

You’ve competed in 11 NPC shows, how did you get your start in figure:
I was inspired by another young woman at my gym that trained for Figure competitions. After being an athlete for years and always looking for new outlets of fitness, I decided to take my training to the next level and compete in Figure. Having always been naturally inclined to watching what I eat and eating healthfully, competing was a natural fit!  In addition to this, I loved the toned look of the Figure athlete and I felt my physique had the potential to be a good match for the sport. I was so inspired and empowered by taking my physique to levels of conditioning I never thought possible, that I knew this was something I would doing for awhile.

Favorite past time when not lifting weights or cooking chicken:
Traveling and visiting new places, walks to Starbucks and golfing with my boyfriend, quality time with friends and family.

What’s your favorite supplement:
I am currently an ON/ABB Reps and Sets Sponsored Athlete, so I use a lot of their Whey Gold Standard Caramel Toffee Fudge Flavor and Diet Turbo Teas…SO good!

Guilty pleasure:
Massages and Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory!

Catherine points to the bizarre hat and gloves that were on our shoot location.

Congratulations to all the winners at tonight’s NPC JR Nationals contest. Below is a flash report of the winners for the women:

The six new female pros (there’s one more but missed the photo)

Fitness -
Short Class: Stefanie Irick and overall champion
Medium: Melissa Frederick
Tall: Betsy McNally Harris

Figure -
A Class - Sue Upson and new IFBB Pro
B Class - Julie Kulla and new IFBB Pro & Overall winner
C Class - Teresa Gillian and new IFBB Pro
D Class - Terri Turner
E Class - Catherine Hollan and new IFBB Pro
F Class - Jennifer Martin

Female Bodybuilding -
Middleweight - Heather Bayer
Light Heavyweight - Justine Dohring
Heavyweight - Amber Defrancesco and Overall Winner

Congrats to all! Today the vast majority of the women looked better than on Friday night. Most likely it was because they had some carbs. Ladies talk to the judges and get feedback. Many of the women I saw compete at JR USAs who competed here looked much better.

All the photos from last night are now posted on bodybuilding.com in the NPC JR Nationals section. There are shots of all competitors. Check back as more are added throughout the weekend
Check out the over 2,000 photos here.

Day one is in the books and the competition will be some of the toughest the NPC figure has seen. Last night the men and women weighed in and had the ladies heights were checked. You will see a number of women moving around in height classes from last year. This year the classes were changed in an effort to even the numbers out, particularly the A and F classes. We’re still getting a feel for how this plays out on the National stage.

The schmonation is running strong and you will see a variety of the individuals I wrote about in my photographers post. Another item I’ll be writing about later is something I hadn’t given much thought, until last night. The “schmodels”. These are the women who thrive off the attention of posing, flexing, smiling for anyone who has a camera. Ladies if you’re a fitness or figure competitor and you’re flexing your biceps for a dude with a camera phone - YOU’RE A SCHMODEL. I’ll save this diatribe for another time.

The weather in Chicago is nice, not too hot and the crazy bugs from last year are no where in sight. I ran into a few familiar faces and some new ones yesterday. When I met up with the PR Team they informed their fearless leader, IFBB Carla Sanchez, was not let on the plane with them because she didn’t have the right credit card that the ticket was booked with. What a load of poo. The women forged ahead and were sporting matching outfits for their photo shoot with JM Manion.

JM photographing the Peformance Ready girls.

It as amusing to watch traffic come to a hault and random people stop to take photos of the scene. All five women looked great and in a conversation with Jamie Meade, who is making her first trip to the national scene, I was reminded of something. No matter where you finish in this show you should be proud and happy to be on stage. Why? She works with handicapped people every day who can’t walk or have disabilities that prevent them from doing every day things. I love her outlook and she reminded me to not loose sight of the big picture.

Then there is Liza Kampstra. Liza will be a force in the B Class and one to watch. She had some fun with the group and one point sported a blonde wig. Her altered ego - “Larrissa” came out for a few shots and it was comedy at it’s finest.

“Larrissa” wanted no photos from the paparazzi until he she was ready.
Just kidding it was actually hilarious.

Betsy Harris leaner than ever and ready to take the stage.

I had a chance to chat with Paola Almerico and her husband Nelson a bit yesterday. Two good peeps who are always fun to be around. Paola just finished shooting for OXYGEN magazine in Canada. The husband/wife duo prepped two figure competitors for this show. You may recall, they worked with the overall champ from JR USAs, Lenay Hernandez. Paola was chatting with a variety of people including “the man with the big book” John Stutz. She also smiled pretty for a dead ringer of IFBB Pro Mary Lado. Yes, there is a Mary Lado lookalike at the show and she calls Dallas home. Monique “momo” is stunning and you have to do a double take when you see her as she is a spitting image of Mary. Keep an eye on her in the coming shows, she isn’t competing in this show but is a striking woman.

Poala with Momo, the Mary Lado lookalike.

I’m off to get my cardio on and hit the second check-in that will be held at 9am this morning. I’ll squeeze in a couple photo shoots before tonight’s prejudging which starts at 5pm. Tonight it’s all about the women and good luck to all of them.

I survived the flight from Denver to Chicago and happy to report I have a good internet connection from the hotel. I’ll be doing most of my blogging for the show on bodybuilding.com’s BodySpace this weekend. Check back for more updates on the things going down in Chitown.

My NPC Jr. Nationals preview is up and I know I left a few people off and if you were one of them don’t take it personally. There are close to 200 figure competitors in this show. I’ll be photographing the weigh-in/check-in tonight so look for some photos from that later on. This should be a kick ass show.

The women of the NPC will take to the stage beginning at 5pm on Friday, June 20, 2008. This year’s NPC Junior Nationals is a pro qualifier for the figure and new this year, the fitness! It’s coined “Fabulous Female Friday” for good reason, many of the best physiques in the world will hit the stage. One of the coolest women you’ll ever meet, promoter extraordinaire Pam Betz tells me there will be over 180 females competing this year. Personally, I look for that number to be over 200 come show time. Competitors are notorious for procrastinating and sending in their entry forms at the last minute. Shocker, I know. The event will be held at the Regency O’Hare Hotel Ballroom, just minutes away from Chicago’s O’Hare airport. If you haven’t booked yet make certain you fly into O’Hare and NOT Midway airport. I made that mistake two years ago and it ended up being a $50+ cab ride to the hotel.

This is one of my favorite shows of the year and everything is in one spot. The venue and host hotel are connected which makes things very easy on everyone. There are a number of quality competitors from across the US competing in this show and will definitely be worth the price of admission.

Visit: npcjrnationals.com for tickets and more show information.