1999 NPC Jr. Nationals(Bodybuilding)
By -Jabber



Bodybuilding:

Lightweight:

Yes, the reason I was in attendance, make no bones about it.  For some
spacey reason, there are two competitors in the lightweight division I have
no notes about and am drawing a complete blank.  Perhaps it was the third
place finisher that kind of left me discombobulated? :-)

In 4th place was Cynthia Cannon, 115 lbs.  In 3rd place was the VERY popular
Angie Rojas, from the heart of the "Valley" of South Texas, McAllen, 113 1/2
lbs.  I'd seen this captivating young Hispanic lady for the first time last
year at the John Sherman Classic in Houston last year.  VERY striking last
year, all the more polished this year.  Excellent upper body definition and
symmetry, abs that brought the house down, and ultra dark skin.  She had an
exotic hard look, in her very dieted down incarnation, she was reminiscent
of the great Marie Laure Mahabir.  If only she could wear long sweats on
stage!  She would've won.  Her legs were markedly softer, very noticeable
compared to her spot-on upper body.

In 2nd place was Debra Mooren, 110 lbs.  In 1st place was an overall
excellent shaped fbb named Christi Casati, 117 lbs.  Broad shoulders and the
best relaxed abs in her class.  And a pleasant relaxed demeanor while
posing.  Watch for her in the future.

Middleweight:

Finishing outside the top 5 were Tracie Kretzschmar, 122 lbs., and Marie
Tullos, 126 lbs.  Marie was off, conditioning-wise, but had quite a lot of
mass for only 126 lbs.  In 5th place was Amy Lindsey, from Austin, 125 lbs.
Interestingly, based upon the prejudging, it looked like the judges liked
her better than they actually did and I thought she would finish higher (not
that I agreed she should - this was a tough class).  Although Amy doesn't
seem to know how to pose her abs, she had good leg size and had a look
reminiscent of a less massive Tommie Moreau. 

In 4th place was a woman who truly stood out in the line-up.  In truly
excellent condition, Jeannie Phelps, 128 lbs., her gold color just glowed.
Best relaxed looking female seen in a long time, tremendous hip flexers
viewed in her thighs while just standing there.  Unfortunately, when she
flexed, her upper body lagged a lot in size.  She looked more like a fitness
woman sizewise.

Now comes the controversial stuffs, but I conserved my vocal chords.  In 3rd
place was an odds-on favorite (and my personal pick), Wynne Hendry from
Albuquerque, 130 lbs.  You guys know I lean a bit more toward mass and
symmetry over conditioning in the first place.  Wynne, who I'd seen at the
Emerald Cup two months previously, simply showed up with more polished mass,
size, a logical extension to her impressive physique earlier.  Meaty biceps,
mass everywhere, artfully arranged, didn't seem soft anywhere (but not
ultra-ripped), I truly should've booed if I wasn't in such a low-key good
mood.

In 2nd place was Antoinette "Toni" Norman, 121 lbs., who I'd first met at
the WSE '98, when she was a strength competitor, then again at the Ms. I
(when she was a nightclub goer), then more recently in her shockingly good
and well-balanced condition at the North Texas/SW USA, so her equally good,
almost delicate, features and physique didn't come as quite a shock to me
here.  As polished as the best of them, unfortunately she was a bit
outclassed mass-wise by Wynne and the 1st place finisher.  After the show,
Toni confided in me she was just delighted to make the top 5.  I told her I
was happy with her placings, just would've flip-flopped 3rd with 1st, leave
her right where she was. :-)

In 1st place was John Nafpliotis' pic, Carri Ledford, 128 lbs.  At the
prejudging, when John told me his pic, I deemed it a "dissenting" opinion,
as most others seemed to think Wynne would get it.  Indeed John nailed it.
The short-haired brunette, Carri, indeed had very hard conditioning AND good
mass, a great deep tan, and wicked abs (in a field of women with good abs,
hers truly stood out).  I felt she lacked a bit in pleasing symmetry
compared to say Toni and Wynne, however.  Weirdly, Carri, when she turned
around had flabby yet striated glutes.  I couldn't believe it, part of her
glutes were striated, yet the bottom of her glutes was a bit flabby.  I
wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes. 

Heavyweight:

In 5th place was Deniz Odar, 135 lbs.  I'm personally curious what qualifier
Ms. Odar won (or got second in) to enter this show.  In 4th was a familiar
name, Debra D'Andrea, 142 lbs.  I'd just seen her the previous week in the
audience of the Ronnie Coleman Classic, in which I'd not realized she was
going to compete the very next week.  She'd seemed to sport a bit more size
than she did the previous year, when I was more closely involved with her.
At previous shows, she came in in exceptional almost unreal condition, but
unfortunately lost some of her mass in the process.  Indeed, last year, I'd
recommended she enter the Jr. USA and not the Jr. Nationals (but with the
great Catherine Wilbert winning the Jr. USA Heavyweight, Debra may have only
finished second there).  Anyway, while her size was slightly improved from
last year, her calling card of superior conditioning just wasn't there for
this show.  

Almost like a rematch from the Texas State Championship last August when
Debra got 2nd and Bonny Priest got 1st, here at the Jr. Nationals, Ms.
Priest, 141 lbs., finished right in front of Debra again, in 3rd.  There was
a little bit of booing at this decision (including from yours truly), as
Bonny looks totally unassuming in a line-up, well-balanced, but nothing
remarkable.  But when she poses, especially free-poses, her body becomes
alive, all the muscles flow artistically, with equal helpings of grace and
mass.  Truly delightful to watch

In 2nd was perhaps the best known entrant, Vonda Kline, 150 lbs., from
Philadelphia.  She had a good back, especially her lats, but her legs were
soft.  Also, markedly, her right bicep was bigger than her left.  Sexy and
classy looks are great, but I didn't feel it should win a show, indeed this
is a very striking young woman, and she even tried, to good effect, to pose
her shoulders and upper back a la Lenda Murray.  But I was "almost" afraid
she would win.  In her finals posing routine, she COMPLETELY brought the
house down, as the house roared to something I've never seen done on stage
before.  She did a complete and repeated butt-flex while facing the curtain
to warm the audience up to her.  

Sure, that was interesting to watch, but can't take away from the bigger is
better, heaviest (and bestest) competitor, Sherry Smith, 156 lbs.  Blonde,
with unusual ripped biceps, this woman was THICK.  Best legs and calves in
the show - thick, muscular, yet good symmetry.  A mid-back, spinal erectors,
that took a back seat to no one.  Only because some others were so
outstanding, her abs were a bit lacking (I forgot to mention Vonda's abs
were pristine).  But Sherry Smith was very reminiscent of Debbie Bryant,
from a couple years back.

Overall:

Indeed, in the posedown, the almost delicate well-balanced Christi Casati
faced the very conditioned Carri Ledford and the afore-mentioned Sherry
Smith.  I'd stated to a couple others within earshot, Sherry's the only one
who looks like a pro, like she could do some damage in the pro ranks.  Sure
she could use a bit more refinement, but, that'll come.  Much to my
approval, she got the nod for overall - so mass DOES count for something
evidently. :-)