NAB Review of 2008 OCB Yorton Cup Nationals & Pro International
Check out results and photos from the 2008 OCB Yorton Cup Nationals & Pro International contest right here.
Contest Review - by www.NorthAmericanBodies.com
On the morning of November 15th, 2008 a stellar field of natural athletes checked-in for the prejudging round of the 2008 OCB Yorton Cup Nationals. The event was held near Washington, D.C. at the Bowie Center for Performing Arts. The large audience assembled on this overcast and rainy day was eagerly anticipating the OCB Yorton Cup Nationals as well as the OCB Stars & Stripes Novice Championships and the Yorton Cup Pro International sanctioned by the IFPA. The show’s promoter, Matt Shepley, has put on great shows in the past and we were eagerly anticipating no less this year. And we at www.NorthAmericanBodies.com were not disappointed in the least, as Matt presented another great OCB show. In all, there were 188 entrants across all figure and bodybuilding classes and divisions.
Figure Competitors
Men Bodybuilding Competitors
Women Bodybuilding Competitors
Historical significance, name recognition and uniqueness made the Yorton Cup suitable and ideal to represent the very finest of natural bodybuilding. The title came from being named after Chet Yorton. Chet Yorton is the Father of Natural Bodybuilding. He has been credited with holding the very first drug-tested bodybuilding competition back in 1978. Yorton is also a widely known figure from bodybuilding’s Golden Era (60’s & 70’s) who had quite a distinguished competition career, laying claim to titles such as the IFBB Mr. America and NABBA Mr. Universe and being one of only three men who ever defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger.
IFPA Pro Divisions:
In conjunction with the amateur Yorton Cup competition, a pro competition sponsored by the IFPA (International Fitness and Physique Association) was held. The IFPA offers professional level drug tested physique and figure competitions. Affiliated amateur level organizations offer events that are designated as IFPA pro qualifiers. Upon winning specified placements at an IFPA pro qualifying event and successfully passing all drug-testing procedures enforced at the pro qualifying event, an athlete becomes eligible to accept IFPA pro status and compete in professional level physique or figure competitions (whichever is applicable) sanctioned by the IFPA. The Pro Yorton Cup is such a sanctioned competition. There were many amazing female and male athletes lined up to compete for this prestigious title.
Pro Men’s Bodybuilding:
Twenty-one amazing men, who achieved pro status as bodybuilders, competed for the top IFPA Yorton honors. The competition was fierce but in the end, it was Darren Varnon from the United Kingdom who captured the IFPA pro title by winning 1st place and the IFPA Yorton Cup with a prize of $2,500. Close on his heels was Kareem Petteway of Maryland who placed 2nd and was named Best Poser, taking home $1,600 in prize money. Third place and $1000 went to David Lovelace of Florida.
Mens Pro Winners
Mens Pro Bodybuilding Overall Winner
Pro Figure Division:
Twelve women stepped onto the stage to compete for the IFPA Pro Figure Title. Naome Murdock from Virginia wound up on top taking 1st place and the IFPA Yorton Cup as well as a check for $2,500. In second place was Yenny Polanco from Massachusetts who earned $1,600 and was named Best Poser. Monika Rodgers from Pennsylvania won 3rd place and a check for $1,000.
Pro Figure Winners
Pro Figure Overall Winner
Pro Women’s Bodybuilding:
Rising to the top among the twelve pro women was Maria Carolina Davis from Texas who proved victorious for the IFPA women’s Pro Bodybuilding Title, claiming the IFPA Yorton Cup and the $2,600 prize for placing 1st being Best Poser. Karly Green of Arizona, last year’s winner, took 2nd place and $1,500 in prize money. Carolyn Brinkley of Maryland once again claimed 3rd place and a $1,000 prize. It was a very competitive field of accomplished women bodybuilders.
Womens Pro Bodybuilding Winners
Womens Pro Bodybuilding Overall Winner
Men’s Novice Bodybuilding Divisions:
The bodybuilders in the Men’s Novice Division were judged in two classes, Short and Tall. William Moore brought an impressive package to the stage and took 1st place in the Short Class, with Corey Smith in 2nd place, Anthony Mack in 3rd place and Thomas Phillips in 4th place. In the Tall Class, a very massive David Shutler took 1st place, followed by Lewis McCaskill in 2nd place and Juniors competitor Thomas DiNiro Jr. in 3rd place. Rounding out the top five were Jeremy Wright in 4th place and Derek Gibson in 5th place. William Moore faced off against Tall Class winner David Shutler for the Overall title, and the judges came to the decision that the Short Class winner William Moore should take the top Novice honors.
Mens Novice Short Class Winners
Novice Tall Class Winners
Novice Division Winners
Mens Novice Champion
Men’s Masters Bodybuilding:
The Masters competitors were judged in three age brackets: 60+, 50+ and 40+. For the Men 60+ Class, a phenomenal-looking Neal Grossman placed 1st, with J. Blair Hayes taking 2nd place and Edward Flanders taking 3rd place. For the Men 50+ Class, Neal Grossman crossed-over and also took 1st place in this Class, improving his runner-up position in this class last year. The 2nd place trophy went to Butch Paradis. Rounding out the top five were Ken Herndon in 3rd, Wendell Blaylock in 4th place and J. Blair Hayes in 5th place. For the Men 40+ Class, the winner was Randy Glass, followed by Victor Caruncho in 2nd place and Gerard Laraque in 3rd place.
Masters 60+
Masters 50+
Masters 40+
Men’s Junior Bodybuilding:
The Juniors competing in this class were exceptional and each shows great promise for the future. The winner was a very well-balanced and muscular 20 year old, Andre Bland. The runner-up in 2nd place was Thomas DiNiro Jr. who also competed and placed as a Novice. 3rd place went to Sergio Merino.
Mens Junior Class Winners
Junior Winner Andre Bland
Men’s Open Bodybuilding:
The Men’s Open Bodybuilding contest was judged in three Classes: Short, Middle and Tall. In the Short Class, 1st place went to an extremely well-conditioned Andrew Hoover over Randy Glass who placed 2nd. Sadig Durham placed 3rd, Junior winner Andre Bland placed 4th and Sergio Merino took 5th place. In the Open Middle Class, 1st place was captured by Maurice Duckett, followed by Kevin Simpson in 2nd place and Adam Fabbri in 3rd place. Rounding out the top 5 were Gerard Laraque in 4th place and Joseph Sigismondo in 5th place. Saiid Tajan-Kamara won 1st place in the Open Tall Class repeating his win from last year. Corey Smith took 2nd place and David Shutler the Novice Tall winner placed 3rd. In 4th place was Roosevelt Smtih and 5th place was Wendell Blaylock. The judges selected Saiid Tajan-Kamara as the Men’s Open Overall Champion
Mens Open Short Class Winners
Mens Open Middle Class Winners
Mens Open Tall Class Winners
Mens Open Division Winners
Mens Open Winner Overall
OCB Yorton Cup Winners:
The OCB Yorton Cup is awarded to the best in show for each of Figure, Women’s Bodybuilding and Men’s Bodybuilding. Because competitors were allowed to crossover divisions in this year’s show, the Open Division Overall Winners were awarded the Yorton Cups. For figure, Virginia’s Jill Vadala, laid claim on this night to the OCB’s national figure title with her OCB Yorton Cup victory. Among the 40 amateur figure competitors who took part in the show, Jill Vadala was the one who rose to the top of the highly competitive lineup. She first claimed the Masters 35+ division title before marching on to become OCB’s new National Figure Champion. Florida’s Stacy Rowicki’s change from Figure to Bodybuilding paid-off in a big way when she was named the OCB Yorton Cup National Women’s Bodybuilding Champion. Finally, the new Yorton Cup National Men’s Bodybuilding Champion is Saiid Tejan-Kamara from Delaware. Saiid grabbed a first place vote from one of the judges at last year’s OCB Yorton Cup Nationals. He walked away with two first-place marks at this past Augusts’ OCB Mid-Atlantic Muscle Classic in New Jersey, still not enough to claim a prestigious IFPA Pro card. This year’s Yorton Cup was the one though. In convincing fashion he claimed straight first-place votes from all judges to become the new OCB Men’s Bodybuilding National Champion and new IFPA Pro.
Yorton Cup Figure
Yorton Cup Womens Bodybuilding
Yorton Cup Mens Bodybuilding
Novice Figure Divisions:
The Novice Figure competitors were judged in two classes, Short and Tall. Chikondi Mseka was victorious in the Short Class, edging out Elizabeth Orsini. Rounding out the top five were Eryn Strickland 3rd, Jillian O’Malley 4th and Jody Philips 5th. In the Tall Class, Demica Paige was victorious, edging out Amber White-Fowler who took 2nd. Jennifer Tinjum took 3rd place, 4th place went to Francina Segbefia and 5th place went to Tracy Sisson. In the battle for the Overall title, it was the Short Class winner Chikondi Mseka who prevailed.
Figure Masters 35+ Division:
It was Jill Vadala who claimed the 1st place trophy in this competitive class, with Medina Roberts in 2nd place and Susan Maloney taking 3rd place. Rounding out the top five were Denine Bransom in 4th place and Maggie Batten in 5th place.
Open Figure Division:
The women in Open Figure were judged in three classes: Short, Middle and Tall. The Short Class was won by Jill Vadala, who had also won the Masters Class. 2nd place went to Medina Roberts while 3rd place went to Susan Maloney. Filling out the top five were Chikonda Mseka who took 4th place and Maria Aponte who took 5th place. For the Middle Class, 1st place was awarded to Katie Gallagher, followed by Shuntrice Holloman in 2nd and Jody Phillips in 3rd place. Jennifer Tinjum took 4th place and Vicki Aeschbacher took 5th. place. The Tall Class was topped by Demica Paige who took 1st place over Adiana Aliotta who placed 2nd. The 3rd place trophy went to Amber White-Fowlrer, 4th place to Maggie Batten and 5th place to Francina Segbefia. Angel Joy Boyd was named as the recipient of the Best Poser Award. Class Winners Jill Vadala, Katie Gallagher and Demica Paige faced off for the Overall title, but it was Jill Vadala who took home top honors.
Women’s Novice Bodybuilding:
There were three women competing in the Novice Bodybuilding contest. Danauta Fox took home the 1st place trophy. The runner-up in 2nd place was Michelle Smith and 3rd place went to Suzanna Weiss.
Women’s Masters 35+ Bodybuilding:
It was Michelle Brown who took this class, with Roberta Hatch taking 2nd and Susan Maloney in 3rd place. Rounding out the top five were Susan Brunson in 4th place and Danauta Fox in 5th place.
Women’s Open Bodybuilding:
The Open Women were judged in Short and Tall classes. The Short Class winner was Stacy Rowicki, who was also named Best Poser. 2nd place was awarded to Michelle Brown and 3rd place went to Susan Maloney. The winner of the Tall Class was Roberta Hatch. Susan Brunson was runner-up taking 2nd place while 3rd place went to Paulette Gabourel and 4th place to Michelle Bothun. In the Overall contest between Stacy Rowicki and Roberta Hatch, the judges awarded top honors to Stacy Rowicki.
Womens Open Bodybuilding Winner
The judges had a quite difficult job in so many classes due to the high caliber of competitors at this show. The Pro show alone took about 90 minutes to judge! Many thanks to the judges. The Amateur judges were: Deb Wansor (ANBC National Champion), Mike Milas, Stasi Longo (Natural Pro), Sean Sullivan - head judge (Natural Pro), Doug Miller (Natural Pro), David Crisafi, Nicole Weeks (Figure Pro). The Pro judges were: Vicki McCann (Natural Pro), Mike Milas, Stasi Longo (Natural Pro), Sean Sullivan - head judge (Natural Pro), Doug Miller (Natural Pro), Nigel Davis (Pro Natural World Champion), Nicole Weeks (Figure Pro). Get ready for next year’s OCB Yorton Cup because if this show was any predictor, next year should once again produce another incredible cast of quality, natural competitors and www.NorthAmericanBodies.com will definitely be back!
You can find more information about the OCB Yorton Cup and other OCB events at www.theOCBwebsite.com and the IFPA at www.ifpapro.com.
