Report from Amberg

Three members of Beard Team USA traveled to Germany for last Saturday's European Beard and Moustache Championships.

Unfortunately, Terry Pierson from Atlanta, who had hoped to compete in the full beard natural division and whose white beard reaches his waist, was hit by a bicycle in Munich on Wednesday, Sept 20. Terry fell and broke his hip. He is still hospitalized in Munich and will hopefully be able to return home next week. Just so everyone knows, beer and Oktoberfest had nothing to do with Terry's unfortunate accident, as neither Terry nor the cyclist had been drinking.

Dennis Dickerson put in an impressive performance in Verdi division. Dennis had a great time and has written a report and posted pictures on his blog . . . click here: http://www.novabeard.blogspot.com/

As expected, I finished way down the list in the freestyle division.

I will be in England next week making preparations for next year's trip to the WBMC 2007 in Brighton. Once the categories are determined for sure, we will start working on category-specific training, which is essential to Team USA's Brighton strategy. More later.

European Beard and Moustache Championships

A three-person squad from Beard Team USA is on its way to Germany for the European Beard and Moustache Championships in Amberg on September 23. The European championships are a biannual event that takes place in even numbered years. This time the East Bavarian Beard Club will play host.

BTUSA's squad consists of Dennis Dickerson, Terry Pierson, and yours truly. Dennis (a Robert E. Lee look-alike who appropriately enough is also captain of the Army of Virginia, a division of BTUSA) will compete against very stiff competition in the Verdi division. Terry, the pride of Atlanta, has a good shot of placing in the full beard natural division. As usual, I will place near the bottom in the full beard freestyle division. Oh well.

Whatever. Coincidentally, the EBMC happens to coincide with Oktoberfest in Munich, the world's biggest beer bust, and I will be quite content drowning my sorrows with a liter or two of the famous brew.

As is always the case, Germany is expected to dominate the competition. Check back here for a full report.