Premier beard bristling at world face-off
An Auckland man’s facial hair will come up against the best in the business when he competes at the world cup of beard growing next month.
Ygnacio Cervio will do battle at this year’s World Beard and Moustache Championship – a competition he has come fifth in on two previous occasions.
The three-day event attracts dozens of international teams and thousands of facial hair fans to Austin, Texas.
For Argentinian expat Cervio, his large beard is more than a fashion statement: it is a lifestyle.
‘‘I’ve always worn some kind of beard since I was a teenager,’’ Cervio said.
In 2013 he made a spur of the moment decision to participate in his first competition – the world champs in Germany.
Cervio unexpectedly finished fifth in the full beard with styled moustache category.
Facial hair styles fall into 16 traditional categories such as the Dali moustache, musketeer, Fu Manchu, Verdi and freestyle – a category where style aids such as wire can be used to craft ‘‘facial art’’.
A number of criteria go into judging a beard including body, styling, and how the contestant’s facial hair best enhances their overall appearance and personality.
The road to growing a competition-level beard was not an easy one, with it being a fulltime commitment and requiring a large degree of effort and maintenance, Cervio said.
‘‘I need to wash it regularly, use products with no alcohol, condition it thoroughly and brush it using a special boar bone brush.
This time around he will be travelling with a team of four representing New Zealand, featuring men from Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch.
‘‘There are going to be at least 50, 60 or plus competing in my category, and getting into the top three would be very cool.
‘‘New Zealand is already creating a name for itself in the world champs,’’ he said.
He has since championed beard competitions at home by establishing the annual New Zealand Beard and Moustache Championship in 2014.
While in Austin, Cervio will put forward a bid to the World Beard Committee to bring the 2021 World Beard and Moustache Championship to Auckland.
His groomer, Julian Maloney, said: ‘‘When I first met him he was a behind the camera sort of guy, and he’s really put himself out there.’’