June 25-26, 2011 - Augusta Pride, Augusta, GA
July 2, 2011 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
July 29-30, 2011 - Mr. and Ms. GA Leather, Atlanta Eagle, Atlanta, GA
August 6, 2011 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
September 2-4, 2011 - Master/slave Conference, Washington, DC
September 10, 2011 - South Carolina Leather Contest, Columbia, SC
September 29-October 1, 2011 - Black and Blue Weekend, Atlanta Eagle, Atlanta, GA
November 5, 2011 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
December 3, 2011 - Tradesmen Annual Holiday Dinner at House of Mercy, House of Mercy, Belmont, NC
December 3, 2011 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
January 7, 2012 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
January, 2012 - Southwest Leather Conference, Phoenix, AZ
February 4, 2012 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
February 17-20, 2012 - Mr. SECC Leather Weekend, Parliament Resort, Augusta, GA
March 3, 2012 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
April 7, 2012 - Tradesmen Bar Night, Woodshed Lounge, Charlotte, NC
May 4-6, 2012 - Trademark 26, Tradesman 26th Anniversary/Run, Charlotte, NC
May 24-29, 2012 - IML, Chicago, IL
June 7-10, 2012 - SELF 17, Atlanta, GA

boy Dave competed at Amercian Brotherhood Weekend in 2014 taking the title of American Leatherboy 2014.  Here is the speech boy Dave gave at ABW in Chicago:

Ladies, gentlemen and esteemed Judges, I’m boy dave, a contestant for Amercian Leatherboy. Welcome to ABW 2014 and the 25th Anniversary of the American Leatherman Contest.

Never underestimate the power of a boy.

I first heard that phrase ten years ago from someone who has become a dear friend and mentor. Only recently have I begun to understand what these words really mean to me. So, I’d like to take a minute to talk to you about the power of a boy. I’m not talking about the power exchange between a Top and his boy. I’m talking about the innate and natural power that it takes to become a boy, to be a boy and to persevere as a boy in our community. You may not see it on the outside but a boy must possess certain skills and have the ability to overcome issues that go much deeper than meets the naked eye. A boy must have strength and vision. He must be assertive and an independent thinker while maintaining a submissive and service role. Often times a boy must overcome the social status of having been born and labeled as female when his brain tells him that he is male. He must be confident, yet allow his humility to be stronger than his confidence. He must be intelligent while fighting the stigma that people in service are ignorant and cannot possess thoughts and voices of their own. He must maintain the mindset and actions of a boy while remaining a man. A boy must be able to become a mature individual while battling the idea that boys become Daddies and Sirs as they mature in age. He must have the ability to make his Top shine on his worst day and glow on his best day. A boy makes service appear seamless. He makes things happen. He volunteers for the jobs others decline. A boy is solace in a time of anger and turmoil. He is trusting in a world of mistrust. A boy finds inner peace when realizing that belonging to or being collared by the community is a special as belonging to an individual. A boy has a heart as fragile as butterfly wings yet as strong as steel.

So, the next time you pass a boy in the hotel lobby or at your local bar, I encourage you to stand back and take a minute to appreciate the power that boys possess. If you are a boy, when you wake up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror, please find a way to harness that inner power and be the most powerful boy possible. Never underestimate the power of a boy. I’m boy dave. I’m a powerful boy who is also humble enough to offer that power to my community. Thank you and good night.

South East Leatherfest South East Bootblack 2011 Moving Forward Speech

Good evening and welcome to SouthEast LeatherFest 17. I’m boy dave, South East Bootblack 2011. This is not my step down speech. It’s my moving forward speech. I will forever be your South East Bootblack.

I would like to start out by saying “thank you” to any group or individual who allowed me the honor of participating in your meeting or event. I would like to say a special “thank you” to Catherine Gross, Nic,  Alex and the SELF Producers who allowed me the opportunity and freedom to use the title of South East Bootblack in the ways I felt it would be the most appropriate and best for my community. I’d also like to say “thank you” to The Tradesmen, especially my Brothers, Timmy, who has been my constant travel companion and partner in crime and Master Dan and his slave Mel for all their support. I would not have been successful through out the year nor at IML without your assistance and encouragement.

In my first and only column for SELF’s website, I wrote that ..I’m just a boy who happens to be a bootblack. When reflecting on my title year, I’ve discovered that my statement is true. I  AM just a boy who happens to be a bootblack. I’ve also discovered that I’m that and a whole lot more.

I’m very lucky. You see, I realize that I have made a mark in our community and I’ve become a living, breathing and vibrant piece of our history.

When I was awarded the title of South East Bootblack 2011, I became the first biological gay male to hold the title.

In July, I witnessed and became a part of our history when I served as Judges’ boy at the revived Mr. and Ms. Georgia Leather Contest which announced its expansion to include the International Transgender Leather Contest.
In August, I was there as a Judge when the South East Leather Sir/boy and South East Community Bootblack contests returned to their home in Atlanta at the wonderful Atlanta Eagle.

In September, I served as a Judge at the SC Leather Contest where I witnessed a small but very strong and close knit community come together to award 4 leather titles for the state of SC.

In October, I was graciously allowed to share the story of my leather journey at the inaugural Leather History Conference.

February allowed me the opportunity to be present at the Mr. SECC 2012 Contest when the SECC awarded my home club, The Tradesmen, the SECC Club of the year. I was also present in April, when the NC Leather Foundation awarded The Tradesmen the NC Leather Pride Award. Both awards were given to The Tradesmen for our commitment to our community.

These are only examples of a few of the events and moments that I witnessed this past year. There are events and moments that will forever change our lives. My first moment such as this in the leather community came in April of 2004 while competing for American Leatherboy at  the American Brotherhood Weekend in Washington, DC.
I competed independently and without a sponsor against 12 other leather boys from across the country who came with sponsor after sponsor after sponsor. Surprisingly, I placed 2nd Runner Up. My experiences during this weekend solidified my place in the community as a leather boy. I have continued to flourish and grow since.
Just two weeks ago, I competed at the 34th International Mr. Leather and 20th International Mr. Bootblack contests in Chicago. During the IMBb contest there was no interview,  no technical boot,  no fantasy and no speech. It was purely ballots, ballots and boots and boots and boots and more boots.  I believe that it was just over 156 pair of boots between Friday at 11am and Sunday at 3pm.

I did not loose this contest. I won the spot of 2nd Runner Up.

But there’s more to that weekend than earning a spot on the podium and shinning boots. You see, because of my experiences at IMBb, I solidified my place in our community not only as a bootblack, but also as a leather man.
This doesn’t mean that I’m no longer a leather boy. In contrast, my place as a leather man only strengthens the boy in me. God help us all!!

During the weekend I had the honor of meeting over 150 very different and very HOT leather men from around the world. I also had the wonderful experience of having our current International Master, Master Dan, serve as my handler, or as I prefer to call him, my bitch.  That alone was worth the trip.

What’s amazing to me about my weekend at IML  is that these 150 leather men, choseME…..just a boy…..to care for their boots. Each of these men chose to share pieces and parts of their lives with me. Their stories will go with me throughout my leather journey.

Most of the boots that I cared for belonged to normal, every day leather men who just happened to be from the US,  Canada, Germany, the UK, France, Uraguay, Brazil and Sweden and other places far and wide. I was also honored to care for the boots of “leather celebraties” such as  our SE Leather Sir, Ben Carter, Frank Nowicki, Steven Ranger (IML Judge and President of the Cenataurs in DC), Billy Lane (IML Judges’ Coordinator) and Paul Cantrell (IML Tally Master and President of THE Chicago Hell Fire Club).

Of all these boots and stories, the one who impacted me most was a 70something year old leather boy from Palm Springs CA named Peter. Peter was the Judges’ boy who was responsible for having the Judges’ boots cleaned and cared for over the weekend. The Judges would tell Peter which Bb was to care for their boots and Peter would bring the boots down, get in our chairs while wearing the Judges’ boots and have the boots cleaned and shined. What was so special about Peter was his energy and is sense of respect for himself and his duty. If I’m 71 and half the leather boy Peter is …….life will be really good.

While in my chair, Peter and I were talking about gay rights, specifically the passing of Amendment One in my home state of NC. I expressed to Peter how disappointed I was that this amendment passed. Peter looked down and said “as my friend Harvey Milk would say…”never give up.”

I was stunned for a moment. I thought I heard him incorrectly and asked him to repeat himself, and he did. Something came over me that I can’t explain in words.

I’ve never really given much thought to the idea of 6 degrees of separation….but I found myself right in the middle of some twisted version of this phenomenon.

In MY chair sat a 71 year old leather boy who was friends and roommates with Harvey Milk, one of the best know gay rights activist of our time.

Peter continued to tell me stories of his life with Mr. Milk. Some funny, some sad. But Peter was never sad when he spoke of Mr. Milk. He was always smiling and happy. When Peter got down from my chair, he came around, casted the Judge’s ballot in my box. He then reached up (he was all of 5 ft tall) gave me the biggest hug he could and said……”never give up.”

At that moment, winning the title of International Mr. Bootblack become irrelevant  and meaningless to me. What was important was the experience and how that experience had just changed my life.

I’ve walked away from my experience at IML feeling empowered and with a good sense of myself and who I am. More importantly, I have a sense of  the man I want and need to be in our community. This all comes from a man named Peter.

Sir David Labriola has a quote…from where I forget…..but it says “Never underestimate the power of a boy.” Peter is the living example of this quote. I only hope that I can impact lives in the way that Peter and so many others have impacted my life and my journey.

My experiences throughout the year have led me to realize that I’m just a leather man, who happens to be a leather boy who just happens to also be a bootblack.

These are special things to be in life.

In closing, I simply ask that you live the experience of your leather journey. Take heede to the experiences. Learn from them. Share your experiences so that others can grow. Live the journey that you are taking.
 And as my new found friends, Peter and Harvey Milk would say……”never give up.”

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement throughout the year. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I love you all!!

June 25, 2011

WOW!! It’s sad, but that’s the only words I can think of to describe the weekend of SELF 2011 and the emotions, thoughts and plans that have already been made since winning the Bootblack Contest.

I served as the Judge’s Boy for SELF 2010 and was so disappointed that there were no contestants for the Bootblack Contest. I made a promise to myself to change that for 2011. Even though I promised myself that I’d enter the Bb contest in 2011, I have to admit that I was rather weary of that self-made promise. You see, I’m just a boy.  I will say, I have a fetish for boots….and men in boots. I also have a passion for service. Over the last several years I’ve learned to care for boots and “black” boots, but I’ve never really considered myself a Bootblack. I went into the weekend with the knowledge that I’m just a boy, with a boot fetish and a passion for service who’d just do his best and more importantly….he’d have fun.

I also went into the weekend having held the South East Leatherboy 2004 title and with a long standing history of presenting workshops, judging contests and working with contestants across the country. So, I felt this self imposed pressure that I had to be more than a boy with a boot fetish, a passion for service who wanted to just do his best…..and have fun.

Over the weekend I learned a few things. I learned that no one expected me to be more than “dave.” I learned that I’m much more than “just a boy.” I learned that my passion for service is one of my greatest strengths. I learned, that learning to care for and “black” boots had turned into more than a fetish. I learned that, title or not, I was a boy, who also happened to be a Bootblack.

I’m very humbled by what I’ve learned. You see, now I’m not just a boy with a boot fetish. I’m a Bootblack and that places me in a group of elite individuals in our community. I’m humbled and proud to say that I walk with leather folks like Elegant, Q,  Pat (aka Saddlebag slut), Miss Margaret, David Hawks and the like.  

To Master Scott, slave girl ronda, The Tradesmen, Dan, melissa, Miss Bettie, Miss Margaret,  and the SELF Staff, I say thank you for all your support and encouragement. To my new Title Family, I say good luck and best wishes for a great year!

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Contact me at sebootblack2011@gmail.com