Pro/Am Contests Blog

Barbie Barbell

Dear Friends,

Well I am back from the NPC JR USA Bodybuilding and Figure National Championships. WOW what an experience that was!!! I did not place as high as I would like but considering what happened the morning of the show I am grateful I was even allowed back onstage for the finals that evening. Just an FYI I chose not to lay in Tanning beds nor do I bake my skin in the sun just so I can have a nice tan. I use a competition spray tan and all last year I had no problem getting as dark as I needed even with my fair complexion. Last year I would get 2 coats of spray tan and I was instantly dark. I have done this for 3 contests last year and at least a dozen photo-shoots. The spray tan is necessary under bright lights because the bright lights fade out white skin and you can not see any definition making you look soft and smooth even if you are down under 10% BODY FAT.

Now that you know that I will tell you what happened the day before and the morning of my competition. I arrived into Charleston South Carolina Thursday early afternoon and Mary Hobbs of Team Texas Muscle arrived the same day. I checked into the hotel unpacked took a quick shower and headed to Mary’s room for my first spray around 4PM then again that evening at 9PM was my second spray. My dad waited for me in the lobby as he does not like me being alone in the hotel so he escorts me everywhere (thanks Dad) to make sure I do not get hassled by anyone. Well when I walked into the lobby he looked at me and asked if Mary had sprayed me. I told him yes and he said I looked as light as I did before I went in. Mary had said the same thing so we booked another spray for Friday morning around 10PM. After that morning spray I still was not as dark as I needed to be so we booked another session that afternoon around 4PM once again when I walked out of Mary’s room my dad had a funny look on his face and said he thought the tan looked a little strange. Well after a couple of hours went by Dad called Mary and said he felt that I was still not where I needed to be with my coloring so we booked a 5th spray again at 5AM the morning of the competition. Now after 3 sprays most people are so dark you can not tell if they are black, Hispanic or white. So you would think after a 5th time I would be as black as charcoal, but I still did not look right but I was out of time and had no choice but to move ahead as I had hair and makeup at 6AM and the morning rules meeting was at 8AM.

Well as I started back stage I walked under the bright lights and I looked at my arms and I had a funny color going on but still really was focused on getting ready for the stage. Once I was in my suit and started warming up I had several girls tell me I had a funky color with my tan so I walked over to the mirrored wall and looked at myself and I was in shock! I was horrified at my color I looked greenish yellow and I was 15 minutes from the stage. I panicked and did not know what to do. I had no choice but to go onstage as I was. I was so embarrassed but I managed to just keep a big smile and act as if nothing were wrong. My dad was sitting on the press row with Dave Palumbo and after my poses I stepped to the left side of the stage just a few feet from where they sat and I was out from under the bright lights and I could see Dad and Dave and they both had funny looks on their faces but managed to smile at me and give me a thumbs up. After the morning show was over both Dave and my Dad came back stage and they saw me sitting off to the side of the room in tears as I knew my scoring was poor due to the funky color of my skin. The bright lights combined with my greenish yellow skin made me look much softer and made me look like my skin was holding water.

Dave Palumbo offered to help fix my problem and told me not to worry he would have me looking awesome for the night show. Dad took me back to our room and I spent the next hour in a hot shower scrubbing spray tan off my body. After I cooled off we went over to see Dave and his staff took me in and used a different spray and after just one spray I was darker and yes brown this time. In fact I was darker after just one spray that I have ever been with 3 sprays before. I went over to the arena early so I could get under the bright lights and bingo I looked great. I felt so relieved but I knew the damage was already done because the scoring is all done in the morning show. So I just wanted the judges to see what I really looked like with the right skin tone. Well as they say in Show business, “The show must go on” and it did! I stepped out on stage under the bright lights and I heard several people yelling at me cheering me on, I felt so good knowing that everyone and especially the judges saw the leaner more defined me at the night show. One judge came up to me backstage after the show and said awesome job and was proud of me for sticking it out and getting back onstage looking so much better that night and told me that the bad tan had really hurt my scoring and had I looked as good as I did that night I would have placed much higher. He did not tell me where I placed as they only called back the top 5 girls for awards at the show. So I went home not knowing at all where I had placed. I did not find out until Monday morning that I had placed 15th out of 25 girls when Dave Palumbo sent a link to us with the placing for the show.

So placing 15th out of 25 was short of my goal of being in the top 10 but hey after the horrible reaction I had to the tan I felt very grateful that I placed as well as I did. Dad had even said on Sunday that he hoped for top 20 so I was happy to see top 15.

I look back now and I do not regret anything that took place at this show. There is no one to blame for the reaction I had to the tan. Mary Hobbs is one of the best in the business when it comes to contest preparation as most of the pros at the Olympia use her, she is that good! The only thing that happened is my skin had a reaction to an ingredient in the spray we used and the Ph in my skin turned me that funky color.  I want to thank Mary Hobbs for doing everything she could to get me looking right, Mary I love you and I know it had nothing to do with you and I want the really thank Dave Palumbo for offering to fix me so I could present myself properly at the night show, Dave you saved me thank you so much!!!!!!

Now a very special thanks to my dad for helping me hold it together under so much stress that day. I was ready to fall apart several times but with his support I managed to keep my head on straight and get it together for the night show, I don’t know what I would have done without you Dad:>) Thank you so much for being there for me!!
Now outside of my funky tan here is my observation of myself after I had seen the video and pictures online. I think I still need more size in my chest, back and shoulders. I looked to be the smallest girl in my height class. My plans are to put 10-15lbs of lean body mass on my frame ASAP.

My plans over the next 6 weeks are to continue my contest preparation and compete July 16-18 at the NPC Teen Nationals in Pittsburgh PA and then I plan on taking the next 8-12 months off from competition and focus on gaining the size I need to compete and win at the National level. I feel in a years time I can gain the 10-15 lbs I need and come back to compete and win my IFBB pro-Figure card. I am on a mission and I will not stop until I succeed.

I look back and see that this was a great opportunity for me and an awesome learning experence. I am not discouraged at all and I blame no one for what happened. It was a chemical reaction with my skin and the spray used on me thats all nothing more. I know now that I can still manage to compete under extreme situations and I have learned a valuable lesson for future shows by going through what I did. As I sad before I want thank everyone that helped make it possible for me to be at the JR USA and being the youngest girl (17) to ever compete against the National Level Women’s Competitors. I felt privileged just to be on the same stage with those ladies that I can now call my peers because I too and now a National Level Competitor and the youngest in the history of the sport. So I look at my first National show as a huge success and one step closer to my ultimate goal of being a Pro! OH yes one important fact I am 100% drug free competing against those that are not and I still held my own!!!

I hope that some of you can learn from my mistakes and understand that things may not go as you always plan them but to outcome can still be a success. Always do your best to search for the positive even in the worst of times. I know I did for this show and it makes a huge difference in the end if you are positive and not pointing your finger at everyone around you for what happened. I accept my situation with a smile and knowing I learned a valuable lesson at this show and I will always remember that as bad as things may seem it could always be worse and to be thankful for what I got. Gratitude creates a great attitude!!!!!!!!!! One last note I want to thank Goodson Honda and Rocky McCullough of Houston for the financial support that allows me to travel to my shows this year, without sponsors like Rocky and EFX I would not be where I am today thanks so much for your support!

peace,

Amanda Harris
NPC National Figure Competitor    

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2009 NPC Jr USA Results. Check out the results from the 2009 NPC Jr. USA Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure & Bikini Championships here. [ View 2009 NPC Jr USA Results ]

2009 NPC Jr. USA Photos Check out the pictures of the 2009 NPC Jr. USA.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! [ 2009 NPC Jr. USA Photos ] [ Mens ] [ Bikini ] [ Figure ] [ Fitness ] [ Womens ] [ Comparisons ] [ Awards ]

There are tons of competitors from all over down here at the Jr. USAs. Been a very long show so far but there is some pretty intense competition.

The judges sure have some hard work to do today, it will be interesting to see how the Finals go at the Night Show.

To see a full listing of competitors check it out here.

For more coverage and information you gotta get your ass over to the 2009 Jr USAs Main Page on Bodybuilding.com now and keep checking back to see the results later tonight. Click here to go to the 2009 NPC Jr USA Main Page.

The NPC Jr USAs started today, prejudging just wrapped up.

There were 232 contestants and 70 in the Mens Bodybuilding category.

Bodybuilding.com has our very own Isaac Hinds from Hardbody.com there to cover the event. Keep up with him as he Tweets the action right here.

For more information or a schedule of events click here.

Results and pics coming this evening.

I know you’re all anxiously awaiting my crazy stories from Charleston thus far, or maybe not. Either way, it’s been quite the adventure. I took a red-eye flight of Denver and lucky me I had the middle seat that didn’t recline (thanks Shannon). The dude next to me snored and the children behind me cried the entire time. SWEET! My second flight from Atlanta to Charleston was hilarious. I got to my seat and this character who looked like Tracey Morgan was sitting with his hands inside his shirt. It was cold on the plane so it wasn’t that weird, at least not at that point. Once we took off the guy proceeded to get inside his shirt for the duration of the flight. He was either wanted by the authorities or taking the swine flu precautions up a notch. It was amusing either way.

[ View Full Report and Hilarious Pics ]

The NPC JR USA kicks off at 9AM EST. The contest has 232 total entrants with 70 of those coming from the men’s bodybuilding. There are a number of great competitors in this contest. One guy that stood out to me at the weigh-ins was Darron "Hollywood" Glenn. He weighed in at the 198 mark and will be tough to beat.

The women had a number of female bodybuilders that looked very good. They looked feminine. WOW! Now there is something that I haven’t seen in awhile. If female bodybuilding hopes to survive the looks needs to return to a more streamlined, feminine look. Last year Jennifer Cowan won this show and it is the look I am talking about.

There will be five pro cars rewarded tonight. Two figure, two bikini and one fitness competitor will leave the NPC ranks tonight and become eligible for IFBB Pro status. The competition looks great and whoever leaves a pro should be proud.

Stay tuned to all the action live as I “tweet” on hardbodynews. I will be covering the men and the women via that twitter account today.

Andrea Watson is keeping everyone updated on what’s shaken in her world as she heads into this weekend’s NPC JR USA. Here’s the latest tweet from her, which I’m sure every dieter out there can appreciate.

That’s a ton of asparagus. What’s the over/under odds on how many times Andrea has to stop and pee on her road trip to Charleston? You can follow Andrea here and be sure to follow all the action in Charleston via our twitter feed.

Barbie Barbell

Hello everyone,

Well I am 10 days out from my first national level competition at the JR USA Show in Charleston South Carolina. I am as ready as I will ever be I have trained really hard with my dad and I have stuck to my competition diet with no cheating at all since March 6th. I am almost 10lbs heavier than I was last year for my first show. I worked real hard to add some size to my back and shoulders and I fell like I made great progress. On another note I am in two magazine publications for the month of June. Both magazines are already in the stores. I have been in a different magazine every month this year the attention is awesome. The magazines for this month is Muscle Mag and the big one is I made the pages of Oxygen:>) I am on page 384 in Muscle Mag and in Oxygen I am on page 134. I will be home just 6 days before I turn 18 on May 31st but no celebration on that day because my next show is June 19-21 in Chicago JR Nationals. and in July I have Master and Teen Nationals. SO I will have b-day cake in July, hey better late than never LOL. I have a busy summer ahead in fact I am booked through October with shows and Expos. I want to take this time to thank some very special people in my life for without these people I would not be where I am today. Here they are and in no particular order.

1. My parents, thank you so much for believing in me. thanks for the education you have given me, thanks Dad for being the best coach I could ever ask for. Thanks Mom for your support and for all the hundreds of special meals you have cooked for me.

2. Mary Hobbs thank you for the awesome custom suits, thanks for the coaching of my posing, thanks for being a friend to talk too:>)

3.  Dr. Edward Group thank you for your care and all the hip, spinal and neck adjustments you have given me and for the awesome products that keep me healthy the             Global Healing center RULES!!!

4. Brian Andrews, Bruce Butterbredt, Jeff Golini, Flex Wheeler and All American EFX thank you for the awesome sponsorship and allowing me to represent your awesome supplements they are the best in the industry!!!

5. The Natural Freak Team thanks to all the other sponsored athletes of EFX for your friendship and support.

6. Barbara Kiefel and Vemma thank you so much for everything you have done and continue to do for me you are a super lady.

7.  Suzanne Irwin, Jim Lorimer & The Arnold Sports Festival you folks are the best, thank you so much for getting me started at the Arnold Sports Festival without you I would never have met all of the awesome people in the Fitness Industry nor would I have gotten the National exposure without your help. I will always be at the Arnold Sports Festival!!!!!!

8. Randall Reed thank you for your help in 2008 your support helped me become the youngest ever National Level NPC competitor.

9. Tom Stokes thank you Tom for being such an awesome guy and getting me sponsorships last year, I always look forward to our next GIG:>)

10.  Paddy McAllister, thank you Paddy for all your support and all the awesome things you have shown me over the years.

11.  Posedown Magazine  WOW I am so honored to be your athlete of the year and thank you so much for placing me on the cover of your awesome magazine Jan 2009.

12.  Dan Ray photographer WOW Dan you are just the most awesome guy thank you for all of the hard work you do and for the thousands of pictures you and I have shot together. I hope there will be thousands more!!!!

13. Jamie Eason Jamie, words can not express my gratitude for you. You are a true mentor and have helped me so much over the past few years, I hope our friendship will continue for years to come. I admire you so much for being such an humble person and treating others with so much respect. I model myself after you I hope to be as good as you inside and out.

14.  Brent Allen for the awesome photo shoots and being a good friend. I hope we get to work together again.

15.  Mike Byerly  an awesome photographer thank you for being patient with me and for pointing me in the right direction. I look forward to our next shoot.

16.  Dave Palumbo for being a great friend and publishing my first International Magazine article. I will see you at one of my shows this summer:>)

17.  Guile Bronco thank you so much for featuring me in your award winning documentary. “Why We Train”.

18.  John Inzer thank you John for your support and providing me with all the gear that I set World Records in. I am sure those records will stand for a long time. I am always an Inzer Athlete!!!!!!

19.  Richard Barnet, Dean Donlon & BodyBuilding.com  thank you so much for all the coverage at all my shows and the expos. I am honored that you take the time to spend with me.

20.  Dave Goodin “The Texas Shredder” thank you so much for placing me in the March issue of Iron Man Magazine. I am honored to call you my friend.

All of these people have been a big part of my life and I truly respect each and everyone of them. I consider you all my friends, without each one of you I would not be the person I am today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

sincerely,
Amanda Harris

Here are the competitions I will be competing in this year, hope to see you all there.

1. JR USA Charleston South Carolina May 23, 2009
(http://www.npcjrusa.com/)

2.NPC JR Nationals Chicago June 19-20, 2009 (http://www.npcjrnationals.com/home.htm)

3. NPC Master & Teen Nationals Pittsburgh PA. July 16-18, 2009.
(http://www.garyudit.com/npc_main.html)

Barbie Barbell

From http://www.hardbody.com/news/2009/02/18/2009-official-bikini-qualification-announcement/

Please note that for all 2009 National Bikini contests except the 2009 Junior USA Bikini Championships, an athlete must have competed in an NPC Bikini event prior to entering a national contest.

The following must be provided with your entry:
• NPC Bikini Contest Name
• Date Of Contest
• Contest Promoter
• Your Height Class & Final Placing

This includes:
• NPC JUNIOR NATIONAL BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
• NPC USA BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
• NPC TEAM UNIVERSE BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
• IFBB NORTH AMERICAN BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
• NPC NATIONAL BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS

Stop by the JR USA page for videos and coverage of the show. I broke down how I saw the show and did a few videos in between shooting the show.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008_jr_usa_review.htm

I had a wonderful time at the Jr USA.  I was in the best shape ever.  I had give 100%. When I saw the other girls I knew I stood out.  My first thoughts were I either got first or last place.  I was harder than most the other girls.  I was lucky to place as high as I did.  I got feedback from judges that I was too hard.  That is good news.  It is an easy fix.  I can do softer.  That will be easier, cheaper, and less stress. I am looking forward to the next show.  The judges are right.  In the long run this will be what is best for me and the sport.  I have been first and I have been last in shows.  I have never regretted competing.  It is always a learning experience.  I can help pass on to others. I what direction to take.  

My husband, Mike Horn, IFBB pro was a special guest poser.  He won the show last year.  He got to go onstage with our son, Steel.  They had the crowd jumping up and down on their feet.  They even had the judges smiling after a long hard day.  

My mom was there to see me compete for the first time at a national show.  Thanks for all your help mom.  Thank you everyone at the gym, Brad, Dennis, Kayley and all the clients for your support.  Thank you clients Johnny Sanders for your support and David for the transporation up there. Thank you George for all your help and advice.  It was good to see friends like Danielle Kiefer, Bree Mash, Tanji Johnson, Shannon M, Tres Bennett, Tracey,  And meet new friends like Amy Kempfer.  

HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT THE NPC STEEL WORLD BODYBUILDING, FITNESS AND FIGURE CHAMPIONSHIPS ON MAY 31st IN MOBILE, ALABAMA.  WWW.NPCSTEELWORLD.COM! 

PR girl Jenny Lewis ROCKED the stage at the NPC Junior USA’s last weekend in South Carolina. She took 6th place in her one piece, then stunned the judges in her two piece, earning her second place in that round. Overall Jenny placed 4th! Jenny is now training for Junior Nationals in June, and is sure to start the stage on fire again!  You go girl!

Congrats to our NPC Southern Colorado competitors, Nanci, Shawna, Cori, and Shelly! Shawna took 2nd place in the open B class, Cori placed 3rd in the open C class, Nanci placed 3rd in the Masters class, and Shelly placed first in the Masters Class, also in the C class open, Nanci placed 4th, and Shelly placed first.  Then Shelly came back around to win the Overall, and we took 1st as a team!!

Good job girls, let’s make this a summer to remember!

Check out the final results and picture galleries from the 2008 NPC Junior USA Championships right here on Bodybuilding.com:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008_jrusa_rev.htm

Kudos to Isaac Hinds for the great photos!

I’m heading out in the morning for the 2008 NPC JR USA contest in Charleston, SC. The weigh-in/height check takes place tomorrow with prejudging starting on Saturday. Three new IFBB pros will be crowned on Saturday night… 2 in Figure and 1 in Fitness. Tres Bennett does a great job with the promotion of this show and it is certain to be a great start to the national level shows in the NPC.

I’m serving as "official NPC photographer" for this event. Photos will be available for purchase next week from this event. We’ll be putting a few photos of every competitor up here on bodybuilding.com this weekend. Sunday morning I will be photographing the three new IFBB pros for hardbody.com and FLEXonline.com as well as the photos will run in NPC NEWS magazine. I’ll post up a few shots from the shoot here as well.

Check back throughout the weekend for updates and if you want to be the first to receive the results of who the new pros are you can do so by signing up at www.MusclePhone.com. There is no charge to sign up and no cost to you as long as you have unlimited text messaging, if you don’t it counts towards your text message plan as any text would do.