Jim Grant/Nevada Appeal Sporting a pink beard for breast cancer awareness, Neil Jacklin cheers on the competitors at the annual Beard Contest on Saturday afternoon. For more photos go to nevadaappeal.com/photos.
With his near-navel ginger facial hair, Billy Migan captured the trophy for Reddest Beard at the annual Beard Contest held during the Nevada Day celebration Saturday.
"I just don't like to shave," he explained.
He started growing his beard out in 1998 and went on to win the competition in 1999, 2000, 2007 and again this year.
All the years in between, he took second place.
He displays the plaques proudly in the Corner Bar, which he owns, in Virginia City.
The areas scruffiest and hairiest come together each year for the competition to face off in nine categories.
Winners are determined by a panel of Nevada Supreme Court Justices.
The most coveted title names the Most Bearded Community. This year, Carson City staged an upset, beating out the notoriously bearded Virginia City by nine beards.
A title, said Carson City's Ricket Monster, that has been a long time coming.
"We have better beards and we need to show them off," he said.
Mayor Bob Crowell said it was a proud day for the capital city, and he took some credit for the win.
"We unleashed our secret weapon," he said. "My son came up from L.A. and we got him entered."
And he has a piece ofadvice for Virginia City: Get the next generation growing out their hair.
"We have younger beards," Crowell said.
