Greg Richardson received a promotional email from Gay.com last September, asking if he'd be interested in participating in a contest seeking the Hottest Jock. So he sent in a photo and a paragraph about himself.
'I didn't think anything of the contest after that,' he said.
Until about a month later, that is, when he received an email from a friend in San Francisco, who had seen Richardson's picture on the contest.
And throughout the fall, Richardson kept advancing in the website's search. He was named among five finalists in early-December.
Richardson, an auctioneer from Tampa., Fla., was named the Hottest Jock on Dec. 20, though he has yet to learn his prize.
'I never thought I'd win, not in a million years. I never thought I'd make it through the first round, let alone win it,' he said.
Richardson, who swam in high school and was a member of the University of Kentucky's weightlifting team, was among about 1,000 worldwide contestants.
'It's definitely a huge ego trip which, according to my boyfriend, is something I don't need,' he said, laughing. 'When I look in the mirror, I don't necessarily see what other people see. I don't look in the mirror and say, 'Oh yeah, I'd sleep with that guy.''
The athletic Richardson also enjoys horseback riding, boating, water skiing and scuba diving. But talking fast is his forte, and he's usually wearing a cowboy hat while working.
His auctions range from estates to real estate, livestock to cars. 'It's kind of morbid, but, my busiest time is when someone dies and I have to do an estate auction,' he said.
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Greg Richardson. Photo provided by Richardson.
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GETTING TO KNOW …
Greg Richardson
Age: 33
Height: 5' 8'
Weight: 160
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Originally from: Providence, R.I.
High School: New Smyrna Beach ( Fla. ) , Class of 1992
College: University of Kentucky; did not graduate. Was on the weightlifting team for a year.
Status: Dating Michael Triola
Job: Auctioneer
Favorite sport: Football ( watching ) and golf ( playing )
Favorite team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Favorite athlete: Mike Alstott
Enjoys: bicycling, running, racquetball.
Gay Games: Has never participated, 'and I kind of regret that I haven't because it sounds like it a lot of fun.'
2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany: 'I'd be open to participating.'