Great Lakes Leather Alliance


New page alert: GLLA Contest States Map: click here to check it out.

Bootblack Special Events

Bootblacking

You'll have plenty of chances during the weekend to have your boots and other leather cared for, as well as a chance to meet the bootblack contestants and vote for your favorite. The first shine is at noon on Friday and continues until 3pm. Also this year, from 7 to Midnight, we're offering bootblacking in the evening as you head to the contest and dungeons for the evening. Finally, bootblacking during the Pool Party and auction is available. Come get your leathers and boots shined before the contests, or just before that hot date. You asked, we listened. Please take advantage of these services. The bootblacks are here to serve you, the GLLA attendee.

Bootblack Field Trip

Back by popular demand, all Bootblacks are Welcome. RSVP on Friday to work out transportation details, meet in the bootblack area. The trip includes a mini tour of the sights of downtown Indianapolis, then a visit to Landwerlins, the Bootblack mecca to purchase bootblack and leather care supply items. Afterwards, on to Henry's, a locally-owned coffee house for a pick-me-up and a visit to our local Gay/Lesbian Kink-friendly bookstore, Out Word Bound, before heading back.

Open Bootblack Interviews

A great way to learn about bootblacking as well as gaining an understanding of how a bootblack competition works. A box will be available this year for the audience to submit questions. As many questions will be asked as time allows.

GLLA Bootblack Contest 2008

Click here to download a PDF of the 2008 Bootblack Contest application.

The Great Lakes Leather Alliance is proud to host our seventh annual Great Lakes Bootblack Contest. The purpose of the Great Lakes Bootblack Contest is to improve awareness of the bootblack traditions and the small but very motivated bootblack community. The winner of the contest represents the Great Lakes Region for their title year and goes on to compete at IML, IMsL or ICBB.

This contest is open to Great Lakes Region States Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin.

We also allow Boot Black Contestants From Canada and other states that surround the Great Lakes that don't offer a regional feeder boot black contest. However if a contest is offered in your area you will not be allowed to compete here. If you do not reside in the seven states listed above you must petition to compete.

Any gender or sexual identification can compete.

Bootblacks have become a very important part of our Leather/BDSM community. In most leather bars and events throughout the country you can find a good quality bootblack willing to service your boots. GLLA feels bootblacks are an essential part of our community and our history and wish to celebrate that fact with a quality bootblack competition.

Two of the most commonly asked questions are, "What is a bootblack?" and "Why are they at a BDSM/Leather event?"

There are many answers to these questions. Most bootblacks do this because they strive to perfect the art of bootblacking. Many also love the service aspect of bootblacking.

For a more precise answer you are encouraged to seek out the many bootblacks attending GLLA and speak to them personally.



How the Bootblack Contest Works

We Have 3 categories this year

The Great Lakes Boot Black contest has several categories. As the contest has progressed through the years, we have manage to add new and more exciting things to keep GLLA as one of the best boot black competitions around. Open Forum Interviews were added in 2007, as well as the boot black Ice Cream Social.

The first part is the judged portion in which the contestants are judged on four categories. The second part is the popular vote. And, the third is the open forum crossfire interviews.

Judging:

We have been fortunate that we always have some of the best folks judging our contest every year. So, it is an amazing contest. Judges score on the following areas.

Judging Categories:
  1. Physical Skills: The technique or procedure they use to serve a customer's boots, leather and rubber, etc. What they physically do to create the best end product and customer satisfaction.

  2. Social Skills: How well they interact with different people, including the customer and spectators.

  3. General Knowledge: How well can they demonstrate or communicate knowledge of boot and leather care, in addition to knowledge of the bootblack's role and history of bootblacking in the leather community.

  4. Purpose: What special skills or unique flair do they bring to the art of bootblacking?

Popular Vote or Ballot voting

In each GLLA registration package is an official Bootblack Ballot. This ballot can be redeemed with a bootblack contestant of your choosing. The number of ballots a bootblack receives will be tallied by our Tally Person. The total number of ballots will added to the judges score for a combined score.

Open Forum Crossfire Interviews

The public is invited to come witness open interviews. A box will be set up this year for the public to submit boot black questions that will be drawn and asked. Also, during the open forum, a timed presentation by each boot black will take place. This year, this category will have its own score sheet.

Scoring is as follows:

All three categories will be totaled. The combined score determines the next Great Lakes Boot Black. If there is a tie, the over-all high score from the four-part judge's sheet breaks the tie. If it remains tied, then a predetermined category breaks that tie.



2008 Bootblack Contestants

  • Trooper aka Rich From Detroit Michigan

  • Involved in Michigan’s leather scene since 2000, Trooper (a.k.a. Rich) is an active member of Detroit Bondage Club and an officer of Icon Detroit Leather Club. He has served the leather community for two years as a bootblack at events such as CLAW (Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend) and runs for Grand Rapids Nimbus, Tribe Detroit and Icon Detroit. Trooper proudly helps with fundraising each year for charitable causes around the Midwest, teaming up with La Garou and others to raise funds at Toledo’s 2008 CLAW Nation tour-stop. He is mentored in leather life by Michelle Jackson, Ms. World Leather 2005, and is in a loving same-sex relationship with Andrew. In addition to working in Detroit’s advertising industry, look for Trooper bootblacking at the Detroit Eagle the 1st & 2nd Saturdays of the month.

  • tami

  • I live just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana and am slave & wife to Jamie. We started our journey into this life choice in 2000, but have been married for 15 years & have 3 children. I have been active in the local community since 2002. She attend the Indy Slosh when I can, am a new member of NLA-Indianapolis; a member of MAsT Indianapolis since inception in 2006; a member of KISS (Kentucky-Indiana-Slaves-Submissives) since 2004 & am the current Facilitator. This will be my 6th year to attend GLLA.

    My interest in Boot Blacking began in 2004, watching the contest at GLLA. Each year, I watched a little more, and became more fascinated. In late 2007, my interest in the Leather Community and in blacking finally got the best of me. I began working with a mentor in January 2008. I attended the BootBlack Camp in Indianapolis in March and had my first public bootblacking at the CLAW fundraiser at the 501 Eagle in April. I also have blacked at 2 NLA-Indianapolis parties and also at Indy Pride in June.

  • boy matt

  • A 32 year old bootblack, boy matt lives in Ypsilanti, MI where he works at the University of Michigan Health Center as a clerk. Away from work, boy matt enjoys reading, listening to and arranging music, cooking, watching TV and movies, and spending time with friends. Starting with the fantasy of licking boots, boy matt's interest in bootblacking began its evolution by taking care of his previous Sirs’ boots. In the Spring of 2007, he did his first public bootblacking at the Bachelor Forum in Rochester, New York. It was there where boy matt truly learned he was a bootblack. In August, 2007, boy matt competed and received 2nd runner up at the North American Bootblack competition in Toronto. In May, 2008, boy matt competed at International Mr BootBlack. Currently, he bootblacks at Woof’s in Columbus, OH on the Second Friday of the month as well as bootblacking at the Detroit Eagle two Saturday’s a month.