Rhonda Sylvester, a 50-year-old former airline employee from Little Rock, Ark., has been awarded $15,000 for accruing the most points halfway through the National Handicapping Championship Tour, which is sponsored by Daily Racing Form .Sylvester has won two tournaments and placed third and fifth in two other tournaments six months into the season. She has already earned a berth in the National Handicapping Championship on Jan. 25-26 in Las Vegas. The first half of the season concluded July 31, with a total of $50,000 being awarded to the top 10 points leaders. The second half will conclude Dec. 31. In addition to another $50,000 in awards for the second-half leaders, the full-year points leader on the tour on Dec. 31 will be awarded $75,000, and another $75,000 will be distributed to the top 20 points earners.This is Sylvester’s first-year as a tour member, though she has accompanied her husband, Mike, to handicapping tournaments for several years.“I’ve been very lucky and, being relatively new, have definitely been learning a lot as I go along,” Rhonda Sylvester said. “I’ve gone with Mike to many tournaments, but now that I’m participating, I realize it’s a lot more high-stress than I used to think.”