The results of the main event of Toronto Leather Pride is that Brett Murden is Mr. Leatherman Toronto 2015 and Luca is Ms Leather Toronto 2015. They now both join current Toronto Puppy titleholder Pup Sprocket in rounding up the new title team. The competitions were held on Saturday, August 9 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre, in Toronto and were produced by HOTF (Heart of the Flag Federation).
Murden assumes the role as Toronto’s 25th Leather ambassador in 2015 and succeeds Mr. Leatherman Toronto 2014 Farrell Collier. Past Mr. Leatherman Toronto titleholders were introduced on stage to the cheering crowd of over 200 Leatherfolk.
The dynamic duo of Matthew Pavelich who is Mr. Leatherman Toronto 2008 and local radio and television personality Richard Ryder emceed the competition.
Another huge event was the annual Leather Pride March on Sunday that started at the 519 LGBT center on Church Street and would at the Black Eagle after about a one-mile walk. Leatherfolk numbering over 50 wound their way through The Village waving Leather pride flags and cheering.
Brett Murden spent all his gay life not properly fitting in. Although not part of the Leather Community for long, he has been involved in fetish for many years. His journey started at age 20 when he entered the body modification community, and at the age of 22 he experienced his first spiritual/sexual experience through a body piercing suspension. Working at the Black Eagle, Brett feels embraced and part of the Community, and he would like the opportunity to extend this feeling to all that are open.
First runner-up was Craig Goodenough, sponsored by Spearhead LDSC Toronto and second runner-up went to Mr. Northbound Leather Brad Zahlen, who was also awarded the Toronto Leather Pride 2015 Fellowship Award. The TLP Fellowship award is selected by the contestants, goes to the one whom best demonstrated friendship and camaraderie during the TLP Contest week.
Also competing were John Stewart Bell and Frank Mirandol.
Luca succeeds MsLT 2014 Patty, MsLT 2014 who went on to become International Ms Leather 2014 in San Jose, CA, earlier this year. As she was the only person competing for the title, Luca was required to obtain 70 percent of the judges; points and did so receiving an astounding 98 percent. Luca is also Toronto’s first transwoman to win the Ms Leather Toronto title. Luca is a queer transwoman and proud Leather dyke. An admitted power-exchange junkie, Luca is both Daddy to a girl and student to a Master; Luca apparently “drank the Kool Aid” of authority-based relationships something bad. She enjoys the energy exchange of a single-tail scene with a hard masochist almost as much as she treasures a quiet moment of service from her girl. Luca is also long-time motorcyclist and proud member of the Toronto Amazons MC, and she thinks that nothing goes better with a hot pair of Wesco boots than a hot motorcycle.
HOTF takes the business of judging its competitions very seriously. The organization has established a longstanding tradition of building solid, experiences and that includes including both international and Canadian judges. The goal is to give TLP contestants a quality of judging equal to the International or Regional competitions where the new Mr. Leatherman Toronto and Ms Leather Toronto may eventually compete.
The Toronto Leather Pride 2015 judging panel was led by TLP Head Judge Master Mike Zuhl with HOTF Past-President Master Jack Pearce, Ms Leather Toronto 1993 Mistress Syd Creighton, Mr. Leatherman Toronto 2014 Farrell Collier, Ms Central Canadian Olympus Leather 2008 Victoria Windsor, Ms Central Canadian Olympus Leather 2008 Mr. Leatherman Toronto 1992 Les Beu, Ms Leather Toronto 2013 Youkali Youkali IML den daddy Joey MacDonald, International Ms Leather coproducer Sharrin Spector and The Leather Journal publisher and editor Dave Rhodes.
Heart of the Flag Federation members Buddy aka Jacques Coetzer and Toronto Puppy 2014 Pup Sprocket, both from Toronto, served as tally masters.
During the competitions the Toronto Leather Pride Award was presented to Mistress Syd Creighton, awarded on an annual basis to an individual or organization in the local, national or international Leather community who has contributed significantly to the development of Leather Pride.
In addition, Heart of the Flag Federation President Sir Robert Miller also presented his President’s Award to Peter Theodoropoulos, previous MLTC Inc. President. The HOTF President's Award is given to an organization and/or and Individual in the local, national or international Leather community who has contributed significantly to the sexual minorities’ community.
Sir Greg McDowell and Victoria Windsor presented the inaugural HOTF Founder’s Award to Master Jack Pearce for Life-time achievement for his contributions within the international, national and local Leather communities. In their onstage remarks, it was announced that from here on in the Founder’s Award would be renamed in Pearce’s honor.
The TLP celebrations included 15 different events. VIP passes sold out shortly after the week’s festivities began. Leatherfolk attended bar events at Woody’s/Sailor, Crews and Tangos and Zipperz/Cellblock; featured a series of Leather/Kink workshops presented by experienced and respected members of the local, national and international Leather community. Participants enjoyed the dance music of DJ Neill MacLeod at Leather Ball XX at the Phoenix Concert Theatre following the competitions on Saturday night, which was highlighted by special performances by Carlota Carlisle, Tyler Uptight, Andrew Coatham, International Rubber 2014 and Vince Ciarlo and Steve Pigliacelli. The week’s events concluded on Sunday, August 10 with a Victory Leather Brunch at O’Grady’s, the annual Leather Pride March and the Farewell Cigar/Barbecue Party at the Black Eagle Toronto.
The HOTF Platinum sponsor partner for the Toronto Leather Pride week was The Black Eagle Toronto. Gold sponsor partners included the Sharon St. Cyr Fund, O’Grady’s on Church, Zipperz/Cellblock and Northbound Leather. Silver sponsor partners included Woody’s, Proud FM, PinkPlay Mags, Club 120, Mr. S Leather and Chez Praipe. Inked Kenny Photography, Crews and Tangos, B-Whipped and NE Print and Design were bronze level sponsor partners.
Toronto Leather Pride, under the corporate banner of Heart of the Flag Federation Inc., is a member-based, not-for-profit corporation/club that is dedicated to producing events that celebrate Leather/Kink/Fetish culture while promoting our community and our city.
HOTF is the proud producer of Canada’s largest Leather fundraising events. It produces: the Toronto Leather Pride Week, which includes: Leather Ball, Mr. Leatherman Toronto, Ms Leather Toronto and Bootblack Toronto competitions and Leather Ball in mid-August. HOTF also produces Toronto Bound in mid-February and many other diverse events throughout the year, while promoting the sexual minorities' community and our city. The net proceeds of events benefit the beneficiary chosen by the titleholders and the Board of Directors. The organized fundraising events and initiatives serve the greater community in Toronto.
The Heart of the Flag Federation are also the producers of Toronto Leather Pride Week and Toronto Bound Weekend.
To find out more, go to http://www.hotfftoronto.com and/or http://www.torontoleatherpride.ca
The Leather Journal was founded in May, 1987. The Leather community was hungry for news magazine that covered clubs, organizations and events. TLJ has successfully met that need for 34 years. We have adapted to change more than once and when the Internet came about we were there by adding www.TheLeatherJournal.com
