Blowdryers, Clogged Sinks, and Hats…lots of Hats: A National Beard & Moustache Championship 2013 Recap

New Orleans, Louisiana played host to the Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships the weekend of September 6^th. While Louisiana has not been recognized as a forceful state in the sport of facial hair competitions, this did not stop the masses from coming out.

I am the founder of the Louisiana Beard & Facial Hair Association, based out of Lafayette, LA, 2 hours west of New Orleans. As a fairly new contestant into the world of facial hair competitions, there was no way I would enter and compete against the professional big beards. However, on Thursday, the day before the ceremonies began, I decided to suck it up and enter the Full Beard Styled Moustache category. Thus began my weekend.

On Friday I began my drive to New Orleans, but bearding was not the first thing on my mind. Michael Johnson, from the Minneapolis Beard and Moustache Club, invited me to visit a pit-bull recue center in New Orleans called The Villalobos Rescue Center. This place is home to Animal Planet’s Pit Bulls and Parolees. There was over 30 contestants from the competition there. We were able to tour the sanctuary, and hear stories of how the dogs came to the center. Many of the dogs were abandoned by their owners, or rescued from some deplorable situation.

After touring the grounds, and visiting with the dogs, it was bath time. Two bearded men trying to wash a full grown pit bull with a hose is quite a sight to see. After the cleaning, we did other chores such as policing the grounds, AKA: collecting any poop we could find.

Next, we headed to the competitions host hotel to pickup our registration packets, The Sheraton on Canal St.  Followed by a press conference, contestants mingled and enjoyed free beer from The Traveler Beer Company. Just For Men and the Traveler Beer Company provided gifts and freebies for all who competed.

Saturday morning was filled with the hum of blow-dryers and sinks trying to withstand the massive surge of hair being forced fed into it. At 10am, all contestants were invited to the Sheraton to begin the ceremonies. Groups from each state lined up with their respective flag, and marched through the lobby. Phil Olsen, founder of Beard Team USA, delivered the welcoming of contestants.

At 11am, the annual parade began, complete with a police escort and a New Orleans Second Line, which is a small marching band comprised of brass instruments and drums. The parade was only a mile of walking, but with the temperatures and humidity of Louisiana, many of the contestants felt the heat. The procession traipsed in bearded bliss down Canal St. to the world famous Bourbon St., then 5 blocks to Toulouse St., further down to Decatur St., on to the House of Blues, the site and scene for the actual contest.

All the contestants were invited into the backstage area to cool off, and enjoy food and drinks. They were also encouraged to have their pictures taken by Greg Anderson Photography.

The House of Blues began filling up with spectators. Some were friends and family of the contestants, and others were curious folks, trying to understand the world of facial hair competitions.

There were 3 main categories: moustache, partial beards, and full beards. Each is broken into specific categories such as the Dali moustache, sideburns, or freestyle full beard. Each category was brought on stage to be judged. A panel of 6 judges, with only 5 voting at one time, was seated on stage. The scoring was called out and projected on a large screen. Each judge voted for their favorites using a point system, with 1 point for third, 3 points for second, and 5 points for first.

At the end of the competition, all the first place winners were brought back on stage and the crowd determined an overall winner. Jeff Langum, who took first in the full beard natural category, won the crowd favorite and took home $1,000 courtesy of Bluebeard’s Original.

I, to my surprise, won third place in the full beard styled moustache category. Having just styled my moustache for the first time the night before, I was honored. But the most rewarding part of the entire weekend were the bonds that were made. There was no drama like there is portrayed on the IFC show Whisker Wars. It was all about sportsmanship and having a good time. Seeing two guys, competing in the same category, fixing each other’s facial hair, is a good feeling. You are there for your brother, regardless if ya’ll have been friends for years, or this is the first time you met. No politics, no clubbing each other in the knee. Just good fun, good drinks, good conversations, and great facial hair.

 A special thanks to Jason, How to Grow a Moustache’s official man on the scene! Be sure to check out his clubs Steampunk & Beard Fest happening November 9th if you are in Louisiana. Find out more about the Louisiana Beard & Facial Hair Association Here and be sure to follow them on Twitter too!

Jason P. Leonard

Jason is the founder and president of the Louisiana Beard & Facial Hair Association, which will be holding a special Steampunk & Makers Fair Facial Hair competition on November 9^th, 2013, in Lafayette, LA.