Special Report by Christina Court
CHICAGO – The Illinois Leather and Fetish Pride (ILLFP) 2014 contests brought forth five new Illinois titleholders at Chicago’s Touché in front of a large and diverse audience of Leatherfolk from the Great Lakes regions.
The new titleholders are as follows: Illinois Community Bootblack Dire; Illinois Leatherboy Eliezer; Illinois Pup Tork; and Illinois Master Jon and Illinois slave amendah. Pup Tork is the first Pup to earn a Pup title in Illinois Leather history.
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The contest was emceed by the Louisville’s First Lady, Great Lakes Master 2003 Ms Constance, and the judging panel were Ms Indiana Leather Pride 1996, Indiana Ms Olympus Leather 2002 and GLLA Executive Director Ms Kendra (head judge); Great Lakes Master 2014 and Mr. Bluegrass Leather Co-Producer Ms Tammy; International Ms Bootblack 2013 bella; Mr. Michigan Leather 2009 and Creator of Mr. Friendly, Dave Watt; Great Lakes Bootblack 2008-2009 Trooper; Sir Slade; Cellblock Leatherman 2006 Sir Todd Davidson; and Great Lakes Leather Sir 2014 Sir Mark Eddy.
While none of the four ILLFP contests had more than one contestant, the contest proved fun and filled with passion. On Friday night, attendees shared good times at the Meet and Greet, where the audience met all the contestants and all of the judges who’d made it to town despite Mother Nature’s choice to engage many in heavy edge play on the Midwest interstates and highways due to snowstorms and ice.
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Saturday night’s contest brought laughs when Master Jon’s pop question required him to show the audience his “sex face,” brought some tears and cheers of encouragement when boy Eliezer discussed bullying and anti-bullying campaigns, and a rally of applause when Bootblack Dire declared his favorite piece of leather to be the leather wrapped around his heart. This year’s contest also included fantasies. Boy Eliezer’s fantasy included a priest flogging a laughing, unrepentant boy. Pup Tork’s fantasy, complete with a waggling pup tail, was a delightful pup predicament about a pup being presented with too many squeak toys, one of which ended up at the judging table, in Ms Kendra’s hands.
All competing contestants gained their titles, and they were given their mantles onstage as a family. Master Jon and slave amendah, boy Eliezer and Bootblack Dire will represent Illinois at Great Lakes in August in Indianapolis, and Pup Tork will represent Illinois at IPTC (the International Puppy & Trainer Contest) in September in Dallas with Illinois Leather Sir 2012 Sir Justin as his Handler.
