The American Beard Report Issue #6
Welcome back to the American Beard Report! While we were absent momentarily, we have been hard at work planning and preparing for the 2019 National Beard and Moustache Championships in Tinley Park, IL. This event will take place November 9, with Pre-Parties starting Thursday November 7th and a Farewell Party on November 10th. Please check the link for total information including who the competition will be benefiting, hotel information, and more! We are excited to bring back this American Bearding tradition with new blood and some fresh ideas, including the inclusion of Whiskerina categories. We have several surprises to announce in the coming months and we hope you stay tuned in!
For upcoming competitions in your area, please check out the Alliance Competition Calendar. While you are there, browse their site and see what they are all about!
Club Of The Month
Spokane Beard & Mustache
City, State: Spokane, WA
When were you established? We were established in 2012
How many members do you have?. We have different levels of membership with approx 60 active members and 47 that are "Registered Members" and have the ability to vote and earn their patch with strict guidelines of meeting attendance, volunteer events and competing. Our group has a lot of couples and families so this is our second year of offering a Jr. Member that can also earn their patch with the same guidelines as full members and they can earn their voting rights at 18.
Do you hold an annual competition? Yes, we have an annual competition in October called our Epic Beard Competition. This year is out 8th and it will be held on October 12 with our Meet & Greet on the 11th to welcome all of our out of town guests and our Hangover Brunch on the 13th to say goodbye.
Do you have a charity/charities to benefit? Each year we choose a new charity. As we have grown we have gone to an application process so we can properly vet our charities. After the deadline for applications our board evaluates, based on our criteria, who will present to our members. After charity presentations our Registered Members get to vote on who we will work with for the year. Our charities are always strictly local. Our charity for 2019 is Free Rein Therapeutic Riding. They work with kids with severe disabilities, foster children and have an incredible veterans program. We are soooo excited for this year as we are a club that is passionate about kids, animals and vets and this brings them all together in an amazing way.
Please list your proudest moment as a club: This is a struggle!! We have so many proud moments and really amazing milestones that we've hit, so pick one of these 3 :) 1. Getting to a point where we raise enough money that we had to move to an application process for a charity to work with for the year. We've gained quite the reputation locally for our work and it's incredible to have people excited to work with us. I remember the first year, us as the board had to come to a meeting with a list of suggestions and then had to almost beg people to let us raise money for them because they had no idea what we were about! 2. Speaking of $$ and reputation- 3 years ago we had huge goals to raise over $15k for the year and ended up doing just over $24k! We were over $22k the following year and almost $18k this year, making just over $64,000 in the last 3 years for charities in our city. Worth all of the work we do all year long!! 3. Another really cool thing was the year we jumped from about 50 competitors to over 100 and have been consistent in the 100-120 range for the last several years.
If you have a club or know of a club that would be perfect for this feature, please click here for more information.
Meet The American Facial Hair Community
Tessa Bischoff
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Occupation: Instructional Aide
Club/Product/Organization Affiliation: Whiskerinas and Mean Beard
How long have you been bearding? I’ve been a part of the beard and moustache community since my husband joined Beard Team USA in maybe 2003. I competed in my first competition in 2010. I founded the Whiskerinas shortly after and organized the first National Whiskerinas competition in 2011.
Have you won any awards? Yes. My first will always be the best. I placed in the “Most Realistic Beard” category at Ohio Beards For Charity.
Why do you do it and/or Best thing about it? I’m very proud of the money we have been able to raise for different charities through the years. I’m not able to travel a whole lot, so I haven’t been able to attend as many competitions throughout the years as I would like. I’m really proud to have been able to be a voice and take a stand in the community when we were told we had no place. It’s pretty awesome to see how far the community has come from that moment in time. Seeing all of the Whiskerinas on stage at Worlds was an amazing feeling. I’m continually in awe of the Whiskerinas and the creativity that they bring. I may not spend as much time face to face out in the community as I would like, but it will always be an honor to continue to do my best to support the Whiskerinas and showcase their amazing creations on our page. Overall, I would have to say that the friends we have made through the years have definitely been the best part of it all!
Marc McShane
Hometown: Minneapolis
Occupation: Behavioral Health Therapist
Club/Product Affiliation: Minneapolis beard and moustache club, Gentlemans Social Club LA.
How long have you been bearding? 7 years or so.
Have you won any awards? Judged numerous events including, Dangerous Man-MBMC Winter Beard Contest 2015 and 2016. Salty Saints Octoberfest 2016, Salt Lake City , Beard Competition 2017, Milwaukee, Grit City Border Battle Tacoma/Seattle. Beard Battle LA 3.
3rd place Whaler Beard, World Beard and Moustache Championship, Austin TX 2018.
3 time National Whaler Beard Champion, New Orleans 2013, Brooklyn 2015 and Nashville, 2016
First Place Great American Beard and Moustache Champion, Denver 2016. Whaler Beard.
First and Second Place Come and Shave It #8 and #9, Austin Texas.
2 time First Place Champion, Midwest Beard and Moustache Championships, Whaler Beard, Madison Wisconsin.
Why do you do it and/or Best thing about it? Meeting up with old friends and meeting new people. Always impressed by the generosity of the community world wide. Great people, great causes and great times.
Tim Howley
Hometown: Amityville, NY
Occupation: Musician
Club/Product/Organization Affiliation: Ibanez Guitars, Mesa Amplifiers, Seymour Duncan Pickups
How long have you been bearding? The last time I shaved my face completely was 2007. Since then I’ve been growing this wonderful rope off my chin.
Have you won any awards? Unfortunately I have not.
Why do you do it and/or Best thing about it? My dad always had a beard and I thought it made him look like a total badass. So when I could finally grow one, I embraced it fully. I’d say the best thing about it is that it kinda makes me stand out in my world of guitarists. I don’t really know anyone else that has a braided beard this long that plays guitar.
Tim plays guitar in Fit For An Autopsy. Go and see him and his beard when they come through your town.
Shannon Clinkenbeard
Name: Shannon Clinkenbeard
Hometown: originally from Northeast Texas but now reside just south of LaGrange, Texas
Occupation: Project Manager for an industrial contractor
Club: THE AUSTIN FACIAL HAIR CLUB
How long have you been bearding? Have always had facial when work would allow, but my first comp was during the Republic of Texas bike rally in 2016
Have you won any awards? I have been very fortunate in the past couple years. The biggest one would be 1st place whaler at the Great American Championship in Richmond, but one that I was totally humbled by was the Big Joe Johnson award at CASI 13, also was 4th at worlds in Austin, but hope to improve that ranking in Belgium this year.
Why do it/or best thing about it: I’m an observer, I sit back and watch, and going to comps or other events in the bearding world I have noticed that you could not have a more diverse group of people than what you see at comps. Nobody gets their name on a plaque or recognition for donating to a charity and those that are on the receiving end of the funds raised have no idea who we are. It’s not an I or me mentality, and I like that. Also getting to travel to some amazing places and become part of a family that otherwise would not exist, it’s a win, win. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as competitive as they come, and when I walk on that stage I’m bringing my best, but no matter the placing, we have all already won.
If you or someone you know would be perfect for the AFHC feature, please click here for more information.
