Tony Palazzo, International LeatherSIR 2009 & Brad Hill, International Leatherboy 2009

(Toronto, Canada) – Two Toronto men have won the coveted “players titles” of International LeatherSIR 2009 and International Leatherboy 2009, marking the first time a Canadian has won either title. Sir Tony Palazzo, 53, of Toronto, won the title International LeatherSIR 2009, alongside boy Brad Hill, 28, of Toronto, who won International Leatherboy 2009. Palazzo and Hill competed at the International LeatherSIR/Leatherboy (ILSb) & International Community Bootblack (ICBB) contest weekend held October 28 to November 1 in San Francisco. Palazzo takes over from International LeatherSIR 2008 Raul Mendez, from Miami, Florida. Hill takes over from International Leatherboy 2008 Bill Hoeppner, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Joining Palazzo and Hill on the three-person ISLb/ICBB titleholder team is Syr Evan, from Dallas, Texas, who won the title of International Community Bootblack 2009. Evan competed at ICBB under the regional title of Gulf Coast Community Bootblack 2009. Evan takes over from International Community Bootblack 2008 Jack Pearce, of Toronto.

Palazzo and Hill held the regional titles of, respectively, Eastern Canada LeatherSIR 2009 and Eastern Canada Leatherboy 2009, which they won in Toronto in February. One of the 12 ILSb regions that cover Canada and the United States, Eastern Canada is comprised of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

The Eastern Canada LeatherSIR/Leatherboy contests are fondly referred to as the “bad boys” of leather contests, as the defining characteristics about this coveted players contest from other leather contests is the up front statement that it’s about leather sex and BDSM play. The ILSb contests grew out of the now defunct International Mr Drummer and International Drummerboy contests.

This year at ILSb, 10 Sirs and 10 boys vied for the international titles, competing in four judged categories. First, a private interview was held with the judging panel prior to contest. The on-stage contest components include Leather Image & Introduction, a Jock Strap segment, and a Leather Sex Fantasy Scene. Palazzo and Hill performed a fantasy based on the theme “Blue Collar” (a wide-ranging theme that includes mechanics, tradesmen, work gear, etc).

The judging panel for ILSb 2009 included ILSb contest founder Master Mike Zuhl; boy “pup” Sparky, International Leatherboy 2007; boyjean, International Community Bootblack 2007; Daddy Sal Hopkins, founder of The Exiles in San Francisco and past producer of the SF Dyke Daddy/Diva Contest; Ms V, International Ms. Bootblack 2007; David Kloss, International Mr. Leather in 1979; Ray Perea, Mr. Drummer 1981; Graylin Thornton, International Mr. Drummer 1993; and David Carranza, co-owner of Leather Masters. One empty spot at the judge’s table memorialized Mr Marcus Hernandez, the renown Bay Area Reporter leather columnist of 37 years, who died in October.

Since 2005, Eastern Canada LeatherSIR / Leatherboy contest weekend has been produced by Brandon Matheson (EC LeatherSIR 2004) and Dan Falkenham (EC Leatherboy 2004). The Eastern Canada LeatherSIR/Leatherboy 2010 contest weekend will take place on the long holiday weekend of February 12-15, 2010 in Toronto. For more information on ECLSb, visit www.LeatherSIRCanada.com.

Sponsors and Community Partners for ECLSb 2009 included:

• Steamworks
• Priape
• Goodhandy’s
• Cruiseline
• Black Eagle Toronto
• Spearhead LDSC
• StreemMaster
• Master R’s Dungeon Equipment
• Churchmouse & Firkin
• Bearbound
• Academy Men
• Xtra & Xtra.ca

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