Tue 24 Jun 2014 In: Our Communities View at Wayback View at NDHA
Earlier this month, Mr Urge NZ Bear representative for 2014, Gary Edwards, travelled to Melbourne to compete at Southern Hibearnation for the title of Mr Australasia Bear 2014. He shares a few words on the trip: Picture / Skye Bartlett Prior to travelling, one of the organisers set up a Facebook group conversation so it felt as though we knew each other before meeting in person at the Laird. We had a few previous winners and VicBears committee members included so we always knew what was going on before we arrived and as the week progressed. Competition began in earnest on Thursday night with an American Style Roasting of the competitors and interviews by the cast of Where the Bears are. Picture / Skye Bartlett Friday night involved lobbying the audience vote by selling raffle tickets by length of either the inside leg, or around the waist. Saturday was the big show at The Laird bar and ran like a standard pageant, ‘Bear Casual’ with another interview, ‘Bear Minimum’, and finally ‘Bear Fantasy’ where the guys do a short performance. This year’s Australasia winner was Erin O’Neill from VicBears and runner up was John Kuna of Harbour City Bears. Gerry Ebert representing South Australia took the Mr Congeniality prize. Sam Mastrolembo from West Australia, Vince Siciliani from Queensland and Gary Edwards from New Zealand rounded out the team. Gary Edwards - 24th June 2014