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Globe-trotting show to be local hit
Guyton familys daughter taking part in The Amazing Race
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Jaime Edmondson’s career has taken her all over the place. Now, so is a television show.

Edmondson, a former police officer and Miami Dolphins cheerleader, and Cara Rosenthal have teamed up for CBS’ “The Amazing Race 14.”

Edmondson, whose family has lived in Guyton for 20 years, was a Miami Dolphins cheerleader for six years and also served as a coach for the San Francisco 49ers cheerleaders.

“We are thrilled,” said Michele Edmondson, Jaime’s mother. “We are very excited, and she’s excited, too. We are very proud of her.”

Jaime’s former cheerleading squadmates are throwing a viewing party in South Florida for Sunday night’s debut.

While Edmondson can’t talk about the show — at all — until after the final episode airs, her mother said she has no doubt that her daughter will win, even if Jaime can’t divulge the results of the show, not even to family, until the finale.

“She’s so ambitious. She’s so independent,” the elder Edmondson said of her daughter. “Knowing this child, I wouldn’t be surprised how far she traveled.”

Her daughter is yielding no clues about the results of the show.

“I’d love to go to Vegas with her,” her mother said, “because she’s got a poker face.”

The final 11 teams were selected out of more than 15,000 aspiring pairs of contestants. Also making the final cut were two sisters who played sports at the University of Louisville, LaKisha and Jennifer Hoffman. One played on the Lady Cardinals’ volleyball team and the other played on the Louisville women’s basketball team.

“I think those two are going to be very competitive,” Michele Edmondson said.

She said her daughter’s favorite team was a mother-son duo, Margie Adams and Luke Adams. And Jaime can’t wait to watch, either, Michele said.

“She never got to see what the other teams were doing,” she said.

Edmondson’s teammate, Rosenthal, is a graduate of UCLA and works for a non-profit organization, raising money for people with mental disabilities. She put off plans to go to law school to team up with Edmondson for “The Amazing Race.”

“The Amazing Race” participants traveled to Romania and Siberia for this season and also went up against the second-longest bungee jump in the world. In 22 days, contestants visited nine countries and traveled more than 40,000 miles.

Edmondson and Rosenthal discussed their chances in a video clip for www.cbs.com.

“Not only do we have a friendship, but we also have the benefit of being teammates,” Edmondson said. “With the Miami Dolphins, we’ve been fortunate to travel to at least 20 countries. We certainly don’t lack in confidence.”

Edmondson, who just turned 30, is currently engaged to Mike Smith, a former linebacker with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Smith recently was hired as an college assistant coach in Hawaii.

“The Amazing Race” premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. with the contestants in Switzerland.

Their competition includes:
Amanda Blackledge and Kris Klicka
Ages: 23 and 24
From: San Diego
Occupations: Student and sales representative

Brad and Victoria Hunt
Ages: 52 and 47
From: Columbus, Ohio
Occupations: Distribution dispatcher and tax manager

Christie Volkmer and Jodi Wincheski
Ages: 37 and 40
From: Choctaw, Okla., and Houston
Occupations: Flight attendants

Jennifer Hopka and Preston McCarny
Ages: 26 and 28
From: Columbia, S.C.
Occupations: Student and software engineer

LaKisha Hoffman and Jennifer Hoffman
Ages: 28 and 24
From: Bronx, N.Y., and Louisville, Ky.
Occupations: Program coordinator and marketing assistant

Linda Cole and Steve Cole
Ages: 52 and 43
From: Martinsville, Va.
Occupations: Customer service supervisor and carpenter

Margie Adams and Luke Adams
Ages: 50 and 22
From: Denver
Occupations: Clinical research associate and college graduate

Mark Munoz and Michael Munoz
Ages: 48 and 51
From: Los Angeles and Maui, Hawaii
Occupations: Stuntmen

Mel White and Mike White
Ages: 68 and 38
From: Lynchburg, Va., and Santa Monica, Calif.
Occupations: Writer/clergyman and writer/producer/actor

Tammy Jih and Victor Jih
Ages: 26 and 35
From: San Francisco and Los Angeles
Occupations: Lawyers