FMS @NPC USAs 2017: Joella Bernard

The other day we were bemoaning the lack of competitors in Female Bodybuilding at the 2017 NPC USAs, and comparing the line-up in that division this year with the class of 2007. Amazingly though, there is one woman who competed at both these shows - a decade apart. Joella Bernard is that woman. Today, we tell her story.

JOELLA BERNARD
Winner, Physique Class "D"



The 2017 NPC USA champion in Physique Class "D" has been waiting for that pro card for longer than most. Ten years ago this July, Joella was making her first appearance at national level at the USAs. She had won two regional titles in California the previous year, and at 5'8" (1.72m), she was to stand on stage with Michelle Neil, Sheila Bleck et al, one of more than twenty women in the Heavyweight class. She placed 7th.



At the time, Joella had just graduated (a double major in Psychology and Theology from William Jessop University in San Jose, California), and over the next five years, she competed annually, not the USAs, but at the NPC Nationals - in 2008 as a Heavyweight (9th), and then from 2009 to 2012 in the Light-heavyweight class.



Joella @NPC Nationals: (top) 2008 & 2009; (bottom) 2011 & 2012

She finished in the top 6 three time from 2010 to 2012, her best placing coming in 2010 when she was runner-up in her class to the mighty Monique Hayes.


Light-heavyweight runner-up, 2010 NPC Nationals

It was around this time that Joella, now a registered nurse and jobbing actress, relocated to New York City, and in 2013 she stopped making the Nationals her contest of choice, and returned to the show where she had made her national level debut back in 2007, the USAs. It was also the start of what we might call Joella's "hair years"!

2013 - RED!




The year Margie Martin took the Overall title, Joella was back with the Heavyweights and hard to miss. She placed 5th (out of 10), with Margie, Anne Sheehan, Victoria Dominguez and Susanna Hand (in that order) finishing above her.

2014 - BLOND!




Joella went blond for her 8th consecutive year of national level competition and just missed out on her pro card. She finished higher than rising star Theresa Ivancik, but was runner-up to the dominant Aleesha Young in the Heavyweight class.

2015 - PURPLE & SILVER!




Only three Heavyweights at the USAs in 2015, and runner-up again. Joella finished above Wendy Watson, but the judges went for the meaty Mary Cain for the class and Overall titles. This was Joella's last appearance as a Bodybuilder.

She switched to Physique for the 2016 season (and went back to her natural hair colour!) and warmed up for yet another NPC USAs by winning her class at the Contra Costa Championships in California - just as she had done back in 2006 before she made her USAs debut. With the top two in each class winning pro cards, she came as close as ever - 3rd! Old habits die hard - note the close-fisted biceps posing.




And so, finally, 2017 has proved to be when, after 10 years of trying, Joella got the judges' nod and finished top of her class of 6. Joella was resplendent - once again we are reminded how muscle women get better with age - and with an all-natural hairdo too. FMS approves.




Congratulations Joella!

Summer Break @NPC USAs

In the past, FMS has tended to close up shop for weeks over the summer, usually during August. We've tried not to leave you FMS-less on those occasions, and have consequently come up with ideas like Legs Month, August Picture Post, and, last year, While the Slave's Away to tide you over while we're sunning ourselves.

This year we're not shutting up the offices for one long holiday but a series of shorter breaks, but our commitment to give you at least one stunning example of female muscle heat to look at every day remains. So this year it's Summer Breaks, and part deux reviews the recent NPC USAs. We hope you enjoy our selections.

SWELL DIGS

Sadly it's not possible to feature all the wonderful Physique women who impressed at the USAs this year, but today we bring you a personal selection of nine of them.

Arlin Mossholder
Winner, Class A




Originally from Puerto Rico, Arlin didn't have to travel far for the show as she resides in Las Vegas. She's also known as Arlin Rodriguez, and it seems she's been around a while (the research team found pictures of her from as far back as 2011). Part of Sierra Magnus' training group, she took first place in the shortest of the four classes. You deserve this more than anyone I know, said Coach Sierra after her win. I'm mostly glad that this weekend showed you just how much you belong in this sport.



Arlin's on Facebook and Instagram.

Christina Buffington
3rd, Class A



It's not often the worlds of Crossfit and competitive bodybuilding converge, but the 31-year-old Christina Buffington is one Crossfit coach who doesn't mind putting on a sparkly posing suit and showing off all her hard-earned muscles on stage.




Christy (as she's more commonly known) is on Instagram, and as well as Crossfit and Physique, she's a qualified to teach Gymnastics and Power Lifting (though probably not at the same time), and is a keen snowboarder and trail runner. Phew!

Tia-Marie Hamilton
4th, Class A



Noted on one of the forums as referring to herself as a "trophy wife", which hardly suggests she is the modest type, Tia-Marie got some fanboy attention towards the end of last year around the time she was finishing 5th in her class at the NPC Nationals for some rather arresting close-up shots of her abs and overall "phenomenal sex appeal".




Images of her at the USAs certainly seem to confirm that assessment. There's a real glint in those deep dark eyes - check the triceps pose in particular, she's enjoying having her body examined while in that position I would say. Hot hot HOT!



Follow the sizzling "trophy wife" on Instagram.

Rachel Gilmore
6th, Class A



Recently, a reader accused FMS of "only liking the pretty ones". Well, I ain't about to apologise for that, and I'm afraid that reader's going to have to put up with a few more of those beauties today, none of them more beautiful than Washington state stunner Rachel Gilmore, the last of our picks from the shortest "A" Physique class.




In my defence, it never seems to be the case that these women are just a pretty face, and Rachel is no exception to that rule. Not only does she own her own business - Prestige Nutrition and Fitness - but she's also extremely thoughtful and eloquent about, for example, the process of competing, and its emotional aftermath. You can read some of her thoughts about that here, just one of the many interesting comments this gorgeous woman has put onto her Instagram. And Rachel's also on Facebook.

Carli Terepka
5th, Class C




And here's another of those "pretty ones", 2016 NPC South Carolina Physique champion Carli Terepka, who finished 5th in her class at her first ever national level show. This is the best I've ever looked in the 15 competitions I've done, said Carli afterwards. The girls in my class were phenomenal and I'm glad I held my own.



She also got to meet Nicole Wilkins. And she got to flex at Caesar's Palace looking downright freaky if I may say so. I'm in a world of my own, says this student nurse.



Check out that world on Instagram.

Kathy Garza
4th, Class C



After about a minute ten of NPC News Online's backstage video from the contest, Kathy Garza positively lights up the screen. Since the show itself she's been shot by Mr Annie Rivieccio, and the fan forums have lit up for her. She is simply gorgeous, they say, my new crush. I'm in love with her arms, she's pure perfection...




Kathy appears to have come from nowhere to win the Texas State championship last year. And though only 4th in her class at her first attempt at a national level contest, there were many left scratching their heads (perhaps among other things?!) and wondering what the judges were looking for and why she didn't place higher.



She's got a few posts on her Instagram. And star quality.

Joella Bernard
3rd, Class D




I wonder if Joella Bernard is maybe thinking she should have stuck with the Female Bodybuilding division for just one more year. Having competed as an FBB for (at least) a decade, she made the switch to Physique at the NPC Contra Costa Championships in May this year, and ended up here in a Physique class that had more competitors in it than all the FBBing classes put together. Perhaps Joella is wondering if she'd stuck with her original division she might just be looking at her pro card right now...



She certainly looks every inch the bodybuilder, and even managed a close-fisted double biceps pose - force of habit perhaps - and a mini-most muscular that displays her incredible pecs at their magnificent vein-strewn best. This was her fourth consecutive NPC USA appearance, and the third consecutive time she had finished in the top 3 of her class. The last two times that class has been Heavyweight Bodybuilding. I wonder whether the next time she competes whether it would be better for her to return to the division she knows best. But what do I know?



Muscle (& HAIR!): Joella Bernard, bodybuilder, 2012 @NPC Nationals & 2013-15 @NPC USAs

Joella, a registered nurse, has no social media presence at all apart from a "Star Now" page that doesn't seem to have been updated in the last five years. Still, it does tell us that as an actor she appeared in The Life of MC Hammer, which is some claim to fame! You can, however, find a couple of nice clips of her backstage on the USA Muscle Women YouTube channel. One from way back in 2007, and another from 2010.

Jennika Hill
6th, Class D



Compare, if you will, on your left, Jennika Hill circa 2014, and Jennika Hill v.2016, on your right. She has gotten significantly larger, notes one eagle-eyed fan.




I wonder if, like Joella Bernard, Jennika was not regretting the fact that she didn't decide to compete as a Bodybuilder here. It was certainly in her thoughts during the off season after she'd found her 7th place here last year difficult to stomach. I have always competed in WPD, she syas on her Team HerBiceps page, but now with me growing, making my off season weight 200lbs, I might be doing Women's Bodybuilding. As I get closer to showtime, we’ll see what division I end up in.



There are those, you know the type, who complain about the tats. "All those beautiful muscles covered in that ugly ink blah blah..." Well, if you can't see Jennika's meaty muscles, my friend, then like the advert says, you should've gone to Specsavers.

Jamie Tirabasso
2nd, Class D




And finally, the "D" class runner-up, new IFBB pro Jamie Tirabasso.


Figure, NPC USAs 2014, & Physique, NPC USAs 2015

And what a sight she is! With all the wondering about Joella and Jennika and whether they should have stayed/switched to FBBing, it's nice to end with Jamie, who made the switch up from Figure at last year's NPC USAs. She was 3rd then, went one better this time, and will soon (I hope) be lining up that magnificent chassis against the pros.




If you think Jamie looks like she might be tall here (the "D" class is the tallest class anyway) then rest assured, it's not an optical illusion conjured up by her wondrous proportions. Those legs really are that long. Check out this 2014 interview - unless Tammi Bradford is 4ft tall, Jamie must be an Amazonian 6ft at least!!! And remember, this was about a year before she "went Physique". *SWOON!*

Damn! Here I am, getting ready to go away, supposedly banging out a bunch of quick posts to keep you going for the next week and I get all excited and carried away and the next thing I know I've come up with a bloody mega-post for your viewing pleasure!

What was it I was saying the other week about obsession...?