Southwest Master / slave Contest

Official Contestant Information 

1. Contestant pairs must self-identify as Master and slave.
2. Contestant pair must have been in a self-identified Master/slave relationship with each other for at least one year prior to running for the Southwest Master/slave title.
3. The contestants must be willing, should they win, to travel to a minimum of four events or BDSM/Leather group meetings to present on Master/slave relationships and/or to represent the titles. One of the four events must be the International Master/slave weekend in Dallas, Texas in March 2012.
4. The titleholders are strongly encouraged to attend more than the minimum number of events and to seek out every opportunity to speak on Master/slave relationships.
5. The titleholders must be willing to speak on Master/slave relationships to all segments of the BDSM/Leather community and are encouraged to select venues and attend events that offer them the opportunity to speak on Master/slave relationships.
6. The titleholders may accept additional monetary support from groups, event sponsors or individuals to cover travel expenses, and may raise additional money to cover travel expenses through fundraising activities. The titleholders may not receive payment above and beyond actual travel expenses for speaking engagements or other activities performed in their role as Southwest Master/slave during the title year.
7. The titleholders will be required to submit a quarterly report to Butchmanns, Inc. This report will include their activities in support of the title, a report on the monies raised for their chosen charity, and a final financial report on the use of the travel fund and any other funds raised or received during the title year to help defray travel expenses.
8. The contestants run for and win the Southwest Master and slave titles as a pair. Should one (or both) members of the winning pair become unable to carry out the requirements of the title, Butchmanns, Inc. will determine in what manner the title will be represented for the remainder of the year in question.
9. If the titleholders are unable to carry out the requirements of the title, any unspent travel funds will be returned to Butchmanns, Inc., along with a financial accounting of funds that have been spent to date.
10. During the title year, the titleholders may not charge a fee for their personal use for participating in BDSM activity, whether sexual or non-sexual in nature.
11. Butchmanns, Inc. reserves the right to recall the title from the current titleholders if, in its judgment, the titleholders have failed to substantially comply with or fulfill the obligations of the title.

• Interview with Judges (150 points) – During the Interview category, the judges will direct questions to both the Master and the slave. The questions may address any aspect of Master/slave relationships, BDSM, Leather history, and the contestants’ specific Master/slave relationship. The Interview category is open to all attendees of the contest weekend.
• Master/slave dynamic (75 points) – Contestants will be observed by the judges throughout the weekend and will be judged on how they interact and present themselves as Master and slave to the public. No particular form of “protocol” or dress is considered to be correct. The judges will be looking for contestants that are comfortable in their particular Master/slave dynamic.
• Presentation (100 points) -- Each contestant pair will be required to present a brief presentation on any issue relating to Master/slave relationships. Each contestant pair will be allowed no more than ten minutes total for the presentation. Contestant pairs are permitted to use hand outs, props or other visual aids in their presentations, but are not required to do so. If a contestant pair chooses to use hand outs or worksheets, it is the responsibility of the contestant pair to bring enough copies for at least the judges of the Contest. If a contestant pair chooses to use props or other visual aids, the contestant pair is responsible for obtaining those items, including any equipment necessary to present a visual aid such as a projector, screen, etc. The cost of all hand outs, props and other visual aids will be the responsibility of the contestant pairs. Both the Master and slave must speak during the presentation. The Presentation category will be open to all attendees of the Southwest Leather Conference. At the conclusion of the contestant pair’s presentation, if time permits, the contestant pair will answer questions from the audience about the presentation. The judges will not ask questions of the contestant pairs in this judging category unless there are no questions from the audience. This question and answer time will not exceed five minutes for any contestant pair.
• Speech (100 points) – The Master and the slave will each make a speech during the contest on stage, on the topic of their choice. The Master will have two minutes for his or her speech and the slave will have two minutes. The Master and the slave are not required to speak on the same topic.
• On-stage question (75 points) – During the contest, each Master and slave will draw and answer a “pop” question while on stage. The questions will generally focus on Master/slave relationships or BDSM topics.

• There are seven judges for the Southwest Master/slave Contest. The Olympic scoring system will be used, i.e., the high score and low score for the contestants in each judging category will be thrown out and the remaining five scores will be averaged, giving a composite score for each category.  The contestants’ composite scores for the five categories then will be added to give a final overall score. A perfect overall score would be 500.
• Contestants for the Southwest Master/slave contest will be given a joint score in all categories, as well as a joint overall score, rather than assigning separate scores for the Master and slave. Thus, the points indicated in parentheses following each judging category described in the next section represent the total maximum points a Master/slave pair may be awarded in that category, based on the performance of both the Master and the slave. For example, for the On-Stage Pop Question category, the Master and slave contestant pair will receive a single, joint score of up to 75 points based on their responses to the questions they are asked.
• If there is only one contestant pair running for the titles, the pair must receive a final overall score equal to 70% of the total possible. A perfect overall score would be 500; thus, the contestant pair must receive a final overall score of 350 in order to win the titles.

• Complimentary event registration for SWLC 2013
   
• Winner’s patch for each contestant

• A travel fund based on the profit generated throughout the event (some of that amount could be granted via in-kind donations (i.e. frequent flyer miles and hotel credits).

• A special travel fund will be provided to the titleholder pair to help defray the cost of participation in the International Master /slave Contest held at South Plains LeatherFest in Dallas, TX, the weekend of March 9-11, 2012.