Now we're off to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to participate in the Kink Weekend OKC July 19-21! Yes, Oklahoma in July. The only worse thing is Texas in August, right? And yes - in leather. But we were totally excited to go see what our friend Nate Benner was up to as Mr. Oklahoma Leather. This was a kink education weekend at the (In)Famous Habana Inn in Oklahoma City. There were classes during the day on Saturday and a contest for Mr. Heartland Leather on Saturday night. Pup Loki joined Luckey and I for this trip - he flew with us to CLAW earlier in the year, and he wanted to go to the Kink Weekend. He was a great traveling companion and an easy pup to room with.
Friday night started off with a party, and what a fun time! These boys know how to throw a good one. This was extra special for me, because my sister lives in OKC, and she was able to join us at the bar for the opening night party and fetish ball. Hi Sis! She got to hang with us and watch people shoot each other with blowgun darts, hang weights from their scrotum, swallow swords, and snap mousetraps on all ten fingers at once. Good times. Then she declined to staple a $5 donation to the nice man's cheek or forehead, opting instead for his abdomen. I would have gone for the tongue or something lower, but I don't think he would have been so keen on ME abusing him, lol. We had a good visit and she's looking pretty darn amazing these days!
On Saturday Loki and I got up fairly early and caught breakfast at Braum's (amazing food) which was a short walk from the hotel. We knew this because we went there for dinner as soon as we arrived on Friday. Once fortified, Loki and I wandered over to the Vendor Mart (held in a church!) and then grabbed lunch for Luckey. He was up earlier than us because he was serving as a judge in the contest and interviews were EARLY! Like 9am! Post lunch, it was time for Puppy Boot Camp! Pup Hercules, Midwest Puppy, presented a class on wrestling moves. It was really nice to hear him teach and demonstrate his knowledge (don't scrap with him!) in an intimate setting. Then I presented Trainer 101 and had great class participation. At one point, the handlers were on the floor with the puppies getting a view they may not have experienced before. Then Sir Justin presented his Puppy 101 class, and we closed things out with a MOSH! Good times all around. It was good to hear Sir Justin present his class - I always learn from attending other classes. After a quick rest and some time in the pool, it was time to get some food and get dressed for the contest. Three brave men stood up and bared their hearts to the judges and their bodies to the crowd as the day progressed. Strong contenders all, the show was a pleasure to watch. Emcee's Lawna Jocqui and Alexandra StJames Gray, though they only met that day, were a powerhouse duo and kept the show entertaining and the audience engaged all night - great work ladies! In the end, as always, there can be only one Titleholder. I firmly believe that all three men are winners, because they stood up and presented themselves to their communities. The title of Mr. Heartland Leather was ultimately awarded to Michael, aka Pup Ryker, and I believe he will do well.
Ummm, did I mention the Hospitality Suite? Oooooh, the fun those four walls saw all weekend. The local community gave it 110% all weekend to support Nate and the event. They deserve a big round of applause for showing us all how to have a good time. I enjoyed a fantastic visit with Karri Plowman from Twin Cities Leather on Saturday night. What a great guy! If anybody gets up to Minneapolis, go to their shop and buy something!
Breakfast on Sunday was a bit sluggish - I'm not sure how many people actually slept since the contest. It was still loads of fun, but it was...calmer. As soon as we finished, Nate headed over to set up for a Shot Party fundraiser. Hmmmm, that was nothing but trouble too - but only the good kind. As the afternoon passed, it was time to head back to Denver. Many thanks to Shae and Bradley for airport rides!
Thank you to everyone who planned, worked, attended, barked, howled, served, and participated in any way to this great event. This is one you should put on your calendar for next year!
We all got home safely and rested up from a long hot weekend in OKC - Next stop...hmmm. What is our next destination?
Showing posts with label judge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label judge. Show all posts
Friday, September 13, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Colorado Leather Weekend
Home at last after three weeks on the road! But not to rest - The Mr. Leather Colorado Foundation weekend of contests is here! During this first weekend of May, we select the new Mr. Leather Colorado, Mr. Colorado Rubber, and Colorado Bootblack titleholders.
I was honored to be able to judge this contest for the second year in a row, and I had the distinct honor of serving as head judge. Luckey served as one of two Talleymasters - the folks who collect the scores from each judge and do all the math and ultimately tell us who won.
Friday night started with a meet & greet at the Denver Wrangler. This is a chance for the contestants to interact with the public and the judges and show off their social skills. For the general public, it's a chance to socialize and meet the contestants. But for the judges - the game is on. We are watching everything the contestants do and how they do it. Social interactions are a major part of being a titleholder, and most of it occurs in a bar setting.
After the night slowed down, it was time to sleep and get ready for the contest on Saturday. Interviews started around 4pm, and we had three contestants for Mr. Leather Co, two contestants for Mr. Colorado Rubber, and one for Colorado Bootblack. The panel of judges were no pushovers - they were local and regional folks, most were titleholders, but all were experienced and had strong views of what kind of person they wanted to send forward to represent Colorado.
There were hard questions asked; emotions were high with some contestants, others were peaceful.
When it was all done, Lonnell took the title of Mr. Leather Colorado, Boy Paul will represent Mr. Colorado Rubber, and Boy Erik will serve as the Colorado Bootblack. Congratulations to all three of these fine men!
Sunday brought us back to the Denver Wrangler for a Victory Beer Bust, which served as both a party to celebrate the winners and a fundraiser towards their travel funds.
I want to thank the panel of judges - Michael, Dayton, Nate, Fox, Treasure, and Marty - it was a pleasure to work with all of you!
Thank you Rocky and Luckey - you kept us all on track and made sure our scores were legible.
And I want to thank the producers of the contest, the Mr. Leather Colorado Foundation, for the opportunity to serve on the panel and for their hard work every year.
There are some pics of the event here!
Now it's time to rest for a few weeks and pack for IML!
I was honored to be able to judge this contest for the second year in a row, and I had the distinct honor of serving as head judge. Luckey served as one of two Talleymasters - the folks who collect the scores from each judge and do all the math and ultimately tell us who won.
Friday night started with a meet & greet at the Denver Wrangler. This is a chance for the contestants to interact with the public and the judges and show off their social skills. For the general public, it's a chance to socialize and meet the contestants. But for the judges - the game is on. We are watching everything the contestants do and how they do it. Social interactions are a major part of being a titleholder, and most of it occurs in a bar setting.
After the night slowed down, it was time to sleep and get ready for the contest on Saturday. Interviews started around 4pm, and we had three contestants for Mr. Leather Co, two contestants for Mr. Colorado Rubber, and one for Colorado Bootblack. The panel of judges were no pushovers - they were local and regional folks, most were titleholders, but all were experienced and had strong views of what kind of person they wanted to send forward to represent Colorado.
There were hard questions asked; emotions were high with some contestants, others were peaceful.
When it was all done, Lonnell took the title of Mr. Leather Colorado, Boy Paul will represent Mr. Colorado Rubber, and Boy Erik will serve as the Colorado Bootblack. Congratulations to all three of these fine men!
Sunday brought us back to the Denver Wrangler for a Victory Beer Bust, which served as both a party to celebrate the winners and a fundraiser towards their travel funds.
I want to thank the panel of judges - Michael, Dayton, Nate, Fox, Treasure, and Marty - it was a pleasure to work with all of you!
Thank you Rocky and Luckey - you kept us all on track and made sure our scores were legible.
And I want to thank the producers of the contest, the Mr. Leather Colorado Foundation, for the opportunity to serve on the panel and for their hard work every year.
There are some pics of the event here!
Now it's time to rest for a few weeks and pack for IML!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Colorado Master/slave Contest
About one week after we came back to Denver with the ITPC titles, I attended the Denver Danse of Life. It's a hook pull event with live drumming held in sacred space - bliss.
Afterward, one of the organizers, Master Trent, asked if I'd consider serving on the judging panel of the Colorado Master/slave Contest he was organizing. I looked at him and cocked my head. "You know how I feel about that track, right? I don't really get it." Yes, he knows. We've had many discussions before. He asked me to bring my Leather viewpoint to the panel and contribute that way. I agreed.
Friday night, March 29th, we met at the Denver Eagle for the introductory Meet & Greet with the contestants, judges, and general public. There were two contestant pairs, and both represented well. I sent a "mystery person" who was not dressed very leather-y to visit with the contestant pairs and report back to me later, and I made sure to spend some time visiting with each pair as well. It was a fun night and the turnout was great.
Saturday the 30th rolled around, and the judges and contestant sat down for Interviews at 2pm. That is always an interesting dance, and this one was open to the public. I was honored to sit on a panel of highly respectable judges from the local community, and I learned a great deal from them over the weekend. The interviews were fun, spirited, and intense. Afterwards, we broke for a snack/meal, and returned at 5 to begin the contest. When it was all done, Lady Marquetta and Slave Leonis carried the patches home with them and will represent their community for the next year. We all wish them the best.
While I don't "get" the entire Master/slave dynamic, I'm always learning more. This weekend exposed me to people who are willing to educate and share their lifestyle in a very public way. I appreciate their dedication and thoughtful discussions. They listened to me as I expressed some of my perceptions and opinions based on personal interactions; we laughed about some really funny bad examples of how NOT to approach this lifestyle, and they opened up their hearts to me so I could better understand a dynamic I haven't yet grasped. I am grateful and blessed. Thank you all.
Afterward, one of the organizers, Master Trent, asked if I'd consider serving on the judging panel of the Colorado Master/slave Contest he was organizing. I looked at him and cocked my head. "You know how I feel about that track, right? I don't really get it." Yes, he knows. We've had many discussions before. He asked me to bring my Leather viewpoint to the panel and contribute that way. I agreed.
Friday night, March 29th, we met at the Denver Eagle for the introductory Meet & Greet with the contestants, judges, and general public. There were two contestant pairs, and both represented well. I sent a "mystery person" who was not dressed very leather-y to visit with the contestant pairs and report back to me later, and I made sure to spend some time visiting with each pair as well. It was a fun night and the turnout was great.
Saturday the 30th rolled around, and the judges and contestant sat down for Interviews at 2pm. That is always an interesting dance, and this one was open to the public. I was honored to sit on a panel of highly respectable judges from the local community, and I learned a great deal from them over the weekend. The interviews were fun, spirited, and intense. Afterwards, we broke for a snack/meal, and returned at 5 to begin the contest. When it was all done, Lady Marquetta and Slave Leonis carried the patches home with them and will represent their community for the next year. We all wish them the best.
While I don't "get" the entire Master/slave dynamic, I'm always learning more. This weekend exposed me to people who are willing to educate and share their lifestyle in a very public way. I appreciate their dedication and thoughtful discussions. They listened to me as I expressed some of my perceptions and opinions based on personal interactions; we laughed about some really funny bad examples of how NOT to approach this lifestyle, and they opened up their hearts to me so I could better understand a dynamic I haven't yet grasped. I am grateful and blessed. Thank you all.
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