Mr Midwest Leather Contest and Midwest Puppy Contest, all part of the Midwest Leather Weekend, would not be possible without the help of our volunteers. For those new to Contests, here's a brief rundown of who and what it's about.

The Judges are individuals with experience and history in the Leather and Puppy Community who do interviews with contestants on Saturday during the day and judging during the contest Saturday evening.

The Mr Midwest Leather Contest and the Midwest Puppy Contest will be held at the same time, before the same panel of judges. This means more work for the judges, but we are sure they are up for it.

Judges (in somewhat alphabetical order) 

Camille Claire

Camille has lived in St. Louis for the last 3 years as a transplant from Kansas City. Before moving to St. Louis she assisted with the revival of the TNG Kink Group in KC, working part-time in the local Dungeon (IX Kansas City), and an unofficial greeter at one of the local munches where she helped new people interested in the BDSM lifestyle find information and made introductions to the community leaders. She was first introduced to Leather by her late Master, Sir Timand his slave Sarah when they came to Kansas City to teach a class. After visiting them several times she was eventually kidnapped, thrown into the back of their SUV and taken to St. Louis. They taught her about what it means to be Leather as they introduced her that would later on become her family.
Eventually she would go on to join Rudis Men's Leather Society as one of the first women to be voted in as an associate member with her Sister slave, Sarah. As of this year She was voted to Full-Member.
Camille also helped found the St. Louis Mission House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Fourth City Sisters in 2017 where she’s volunteered for events such as Hell on Heels, St. Louis Pride, Tower Grove Pride, FCS Fish Fry, Dining out for Life, Several Pub Crawls, Contests. Manifested as Sister Freedom Bubbles (Previous Sister Slobberwocky Jabbercocky) she works towards her goal of making others feel comfortable in their own skins.
Though she is focused on being part of the LGBTQIA comminity as a whole, she openly identifies as a feminist. As a feminist she feels strongly about equality for women, helping queer women feel comfortable in their own bodies, and fighting for the right to feel free in their own sexuality and expression.

Dave Drees

Dave Drees has been a member of the leather and kink community for over 30 years and is our Mr. Midwest Leather 2007.

 He has been a volunteer for Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend and International Mister Leather. Dave has also participated in the Twin Cities to Chicago AIDS Ride, various AIDS walks and Suicide Prevention Walks in which he has raised thousands for these organizations over the years. He is a member of Human Rights Campaign, Leather Archives Museum and the Titans of the Midwest.

Dave has served as a leather and kink mentor for many in our community over the years and resides in Chicago with his partner Dan where he is also proud to be a member of the Chicago Leather Sober community.

In his spare time, he enjoys quality gym time, a hearty cigar and bold coffee. His leather and kink motto is “It’s only kinky the first time.” 


Karen Ultra

 Producer. MC. Judge. Tally master. Writer. Caterer. Comedian.  The only thing Karen Ultra hasn’t done during a leather event is deliver triplets while performing all six roles in the “Cell Block Tango” on stilts. Her skills on a stage have been seen at IML, ABW, Colorado Leather Fest, Iowa Leather Weekend, Mr. Indiana leather, Mr. Houston Leather, and several others she refuses to mention anymore. Her comedy has literally created a 5.5 earthquake, and has been known to offend men, women, marsupials, Sea Monkeys and Muppets. When she’s not busy being a mother to her clone or keeping vampire’s hours for her day job, she can be found around the St. Louis area antique shopping, looking for new pretty boxes to place the hearts she has ordered collected by her huntsmen.


Pup Cyon

Alpha pup Cyon is the current Midwest Puppy. He has been out of the kennel for over eight years.  He is originally from Colorado but now lives in Wisconsin. While in Colorado, he was active in LGBTQ organizations on the University of Colorado campus, including serving as president of Pride Alliance in 2007. He is a founding board member of the first ever puppy group in Wisconsin, Badger PAH, and has guided several fundraisers and charitable initiatives. Cyon has also co-taught several puppy and kink classes at local and regional events and bar nights. He is a proud member of  Titans of the Midwest and co-producer of the newly formed Wisconsin Leather Pride and Wisconsin Pup and Trainer Contest.  

He is proudly married to and owned by Great Lakes Trainer 2018 Sir Nate and is Alpha to two amazing puppies, beta Bandit and omega Gem. Cyon is a proud playful gear puppy who not only enjoys scritches, pupping out, and barking, but also enjoys playing with new puppies and helping them get into headspace. You can always find him at moshes or events chasing squirrels, playing with the shy puppies, and always willing to help a fellow puppy in need :)  His other favorite kinks include, bondage, mummification, fisting, CBT, breath play, and banding. The most important thing he has learned is what it means to be yourself and be the puppy you are, no matter what anyone says. *Wags* 

 

Troy Pettibon – Mr. Midwest Leather 2018

Troy's Leather Journey first began one night in 2002 at the Old DC Eagle. Upon entering this historic establishment and seeing the leathermen he noticed an urgent stirring in his Levis: he was hooked  He was active in the DC leather community until 2004 when he took a step back.   

Troy was recently re-indoctrinated into the leather community in 2016 after his retirement from the US Navy when he met his partner Mike. Upon entering his (Mikes) home, (also a notorious historic  establishment) he felt a familiar stirring in his Levis. Again he was hooked and has been a kinkster every since.

Troy has been involved in charity and fundraising ventures ranging from the Trevor Project to Habitat for humanity. Troy currently resides in Newburgh Indiana. His interests include his many mechanical pursuits, being naked as often as possible, mouth hugs, and spending time at the gym getting all swole and junk.

Staff

The Mistresse of Ceremony is up there at the podium keeping things moving, introducing and explaining (and often entertaining).

The Talley Master has the important task of keeping track of the scores from the judges. Throughout the contest the Judges Runner will be taking the score sheets to the mathmatical wizard, the Talley Master, who totals them up and figures out the final scores.

The Den Boy has the equally vital role of herding the  contestants and making sure they are where they need to be, looking good and ready for action. He's the go-to for any issues that arise for the  team.

The contest BootBlack is on hand to provide bootblacking service for everyone attending the contest Saturday night. He will be keeping boots and leather clean and polished and looking good. The Contestant BootBlack is there to take care of the contestants of the two contests and make sure they look their best.

The Judges Runner is the contact between the Judges and the Talley Master. The person in charge of making sure talley sheets from each category get to be counted. And sometimes in charge of getting drinks if there's time.

 

 

Trixie LaRue, Mistress of Ceremonies and EmCeeExtrodinaire

As seen at Bar:PM and everywhere fabulousness is present, we are honored this year to have the amazing Trixie running the show from the podium. 

 

 

 

 Brian, Talley Master