INDIANAPOLIS – Great Lakes Leather Alliance has announced both the judges and many of the presenters for their 2013 Weekend in August.
The judges for the Great Lakes Leather Sir/boy and Ms. Leather Pride contests are:
- Blade – Blade was born from a union of a prom queen and a biker Dad. It was inevitable that Blade would find himself in the Leather – BDSM world. Blade has been active in the Indianapolis BDSM Community for 16 years. Blade had the great fortune to have extraordinary mentors to guide him. That is a debt that Blade will always work to pay off; working with others as they begin their journey. Blade is a member of Delta International and an Associate member of the Chicago Hellfire Club. Partnered for 15 years.
- boy jim coleman – jim lives in Michigan and was the Great Lakes Leatherboy 2011.
- Charlie Schoenherr – A Midwestern boy (Collinsville, IL and St. Louis, MO), Charlie has been active in the Leather/BDSM community for over 20 years. He was one of the original founders of the St. Louis Boys of Leather, a former Vice-President of the St. Louis Gateway Gay Rodeo Association, member of the St. Louis Gay Bowling League and member of Blue Max CC Leather Club. As Mr. Midwest Leather 2008, he represented the leather lifestyle to both gay and straight, non-leather and Leather/BDSM organization. In 2010, Charlie become producer of the Mr. Midwest Leather Contest and later received the Pantheon of Leather Midwest Regional Award 2011 for his involvement in the Leather community.
- John David – John David has been a member of the the Leather Family he has strived to reinvent and re-energize the Leather community in Lexington Kentucky. He brought back and became the producer of Mr Crossings Leather, Founded the Mr Bluegrass Leather Weekend at which he presents the Connell-Stanley Leatherperson of the Year Award to recognize excellence in leadership within the Leather Community, he has also been firm in his efforts to take the Leather Family in new directions. He was nominated for a 2012 Kentucky Fairness Award and recieved the 2012 Henry Faulkner Community Service Award from the Imperial Court of Kentucky, this was the first time a member of the Leather Family had been recognized with this award proving that the work being done by the Bluegrass Leather Family was not going unnoticed by the GLBT community.
- Mark Frazier – During his 25 plus years in the Leather arena, Mark Frazier has been an activist, player, judge, producer of events/contests and an educator (where he has given over 1600 workshops). He has held various local, regional and International leather titles as well as sitting on numerous local, regional, national and international boards.
- Spyn – Spyn is from the Chicago area, but now resides in Bloomington/Normal, Illinois. As a black female Dominant in the lifestyle, she uses her desire for education to help inspire her learn more about herself and the lifestyle, while sharing her knowledge and experience with others. In 2005, she began PowerExchange Productions (www.leatherpalooza.com). Through PowerExchange, she is able to spearhead several Central Illinois events, spread throughout the year. With these events, she provides opportunities for and access to learning for many that would otherwise be unable to attend a large function.
- Woody Woodruff – Woody Woodruff was born on a small farm in northern Michigan. He now resides in Waterford, Michigan where he lives with his partner of over five years, Great Lakes Leather SIR 2013 “SIR Papa Bear”, and their chocolate lab “Olive”. They have also recently collared a “pup” into their family, Rocky Mountain Community Bootblack 2013 “Pup Itus”. He started his title run in 2011 after winning the inaugural Mr. Liberty Leather contest in Pontiac, Michigan. He then followed by becoming the 16th Mr. Michigan Leather in 2012, and then in May 2012 became the first Michigan representative ever to win International Mr. Leather, the title which he currently holds. He is also a proud member of Mama’s Family “Mama’s Singin’ LilCub” and a member of BLUF “163”.
For the Master/slave contest, the judges are:
- Master Alex – Master Alex Keppeler is the Director Emeritus of MAsT International (Masters And slaves Together), a non-profit division of Butchmann’s, Inc., and an education, support and resource group for people living or desiring to live in a Master/slave or other power exchange relationship. During his tenure as head of MAsT, from which he retired in 2007, the organization more than quadrupled the number of its active local chapters and went international when it gained its first Canadian chapter.
- Master Gallad – Master Gallad is motivated by heart and soul through is own spiritual development and the Master/slave dynamic in the lifestyle. Master Gallad believes in the connectedness of all things, and finds the beauty in life and all things. To him Mastery is a journey of discovery and something that he hopes to attain yet complete Mastery of any one thing always eludes him so that he can continue to grow and develop. His life has been full of wonder and wonderful people, the universe will provide him with the opportunities that he needs to develop and move forward.
- Master Morris – Master Morris has been active in the Bay Area leather scene for seventeen years. He has given workshops and demo for Northwest Leather Conference, Great Lakes Leather Alliance, Leather Alley, Leather Reign, smOdyssey, Society of Janus, Alameda Leather Core, Leather/Levi Weekend, Leatherman’s Discussion Group and the Ring, which he co-chairs. His first mentor was JEB, owner/editor of Metropolitan Slave. For forty years, Dr. Morris Taylor was a Professor of Music, a classical pianist and musicologist. Now he is a watercolor artist with over 15 one person shows to his credit. His works can be seen at www.morristaylor.net and www.morristaylor.net/adult. Master Morris lives in the Castro district of San Francisco with his 24/7 slave jonathan. He also masters his external slave, slave larry. He and jonathan are International Master/slave 2013.
- Master Z – Master Z of Texas is a well-known Dominant, Presenter and Leader in the Leather and BDSm scene. He is the International Master 2004 and travels all over the United States and Canada making presentations on the Master/slave-Leather lifestyle and BDSm technique. He has also served as a popular Keynote Speaker and Emcee for a number of events. He is the Owner of slave bill and slave kiki, and has slave tina, slave trudy and slave mark and Douglas, who is his first boy, in service.
- Miss Dara – Miss Dara has been in service to the community for over a dozen years. She is the founder of KISS (Kinky Indiana Slaves and Submissives), and served on the steering committee for GLLA 1. She served as President and Treasurer for InKink for 5+ years, and hosted the Indianapolis Munch for several years. She has also served as Treasurer for NLA Indianapolis, and is the current president of IMAs (Indiana Masters and slaves). She has also supported education and activism in the community by manning information booths, registering new voters, facilitating presentations regarding BDSM and the law, and participating in educational panel discussions at Indiana University.
- slave jacki – jacki has been a slave to her Master Charles for over 10 years. She is Bluegrass Leather slave 2011, as well as Great Lakes slave 2011. She is the facilitator of subSpace, part of a trio of monthly power-orientation discussion groups that allow different power orientations to see and compare their views on different topics. Among many other things lil jacki is a little, and intergrates it intoher everyday Master/slave relationship. She has started a group in the Louisville area for those interested in age play, The Sandbox, which schedules play dates regularly. jacki is also involved in the Derby City MAsT Chapter in Louisville as the secretary to the group. She is also a Volunteer Director to the new community center called FRINGE in Louisville.
- talina{ZAR} – talina been in the lifestyle for over 20 years, and has been owned by Master Zarius since 2004, in a 24/7 Master/slave household. Their household model is based upon Gorean principles, including strong integrity, leadership and disciplinary practices, while leaving the fantasy elements of Gor behind. It is their goal for all participants in the house to be free to express themselves in a positive manner, putting forth ideas respectfully, and for each to participate in his/her own personal growth. They push each member to achieve their highest potential, while respecting personal boundaries.
The Booblack judges are:
- Gabriel – Gabriel Majors first found a leather community at the DC Eagle in the late 1980’s. He again found community in the Northwest in the 1990’s interpreting ASL for events there. Gabriel has gone on to win the titles of Bluegrass Bootblack 2011 and Great Lake Bootblack 2011. In 2012, he was awarded the Golden Brush Award at the International Community Bootblack contest and upon arriving home he was presented with his first piece of earned leather.
- Tarna – Tarna is a queer feminine switch, a book whore, pervert, bootblack and foodie. She can often be found filthy with polish as she gleefully works on the latest pair of boots to and in her lap, or running amok throughout the United States and Canada. Her most recent adventures have brought her the honors of being brought into Mama’s Family as “Mama’s Canadian Tarna”, as well as having been named a friend of the Vajra Family; and the titles of Bootblack Toronto 2012 and International Ms Bootblack 2012.
- Tony – Tony is a queer-identified service-motivated switch who currently resides in Tulsa, OK. He has been involved in the Oklahoma Leather community since 2007, when he joined the Tulsa Uniform & Leather Seekers Association (T.U.L.S.A.). In that time, he has served as Secretary, President, Webmaster & Roadmaster. He has also judged, tallied, produced & served as both Den staff and Judge’s boy at multiple Leather contests.
As of this printing, contestants are coming from Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan.
Master/slave contestants, as of early April, are from Illinois and Kentucky. Louisville residents Master Steven and slave kim received their titles in February at Bluegrass Leather Pride. Master Michael and slave angie come from the Chicago metro area and will represent Illinois.
For LeatherSir, Daddy Jay from Louisville will represent Kentucky and Chicago resident Sir Jeff will be Illinois’ contestant. Sir Mark of Detroit will represent Michigan.
The Ms. Leather Pride contestants are Miss Karen of Louisville and Mistress Soleil of Detroit.
