Winning by the hair on their chinny, chin chins

The biggest surprise at the annual Nevada Day Beard Contest wasn't Storey County's victory in the Most Bearded Community category. After all, that's happened every year except one since the contest began.

The biggest surprise was the single entry from Bisbee, Ariz.

"I lived in Carson City, Dayton and at Sutro when the mine was around, then I moved to Arizona in 1994," said Donald Smiley. "Everyone knows me, but I don't know them. I've been here for Nevada Days when it rained and snowed but we got nice weather this year. Carson City is one of those places that still has that small-town feel."

Smiley took part in several of the contests but walked away without a single ribbon.

The beard contest pitted the facial hair of 50 contestants from across Northern Nevada in eight categories: Longest, fullest, reddest, whitest, blackest, salt and pepper, best groomed and scruffiest.

The contest was judged by justices Nancy Becker and Ron D. Parraguirre of the Nevada Supreme Court.

Bart Lyons, of Carson City, took home the title of best groomed for his growth.

"It takes me about five minutes to trim it with scissors," Lyons said. "I've never been to a beauty shop in my life. I haven't seen my upper lip since I was 17."

Charles Everingham, of Carson City, took the longest beard honors after finishing second in previous years. His final measurement was 15 3/4 inches.

"I didn't think it had gotten that long yet. I figured it was about 14 inches," Everingham said. "I've had a beard off and on since 1983, but I've always liked having them."

The Sikh Society of Carson City swept the blackest beard competition, as well as taking the second and third place honors in the longest beard competition.

Yet the most anticipated competition was the Most Bearded Community, which Storey County - with a large Virginia City contingent - has won four of the last five years, including a victory by just one beard last year.

This year's contest wasn't as close, with 28 beards for Storey County, 20 for Carson City, two for South Lake Tahoe, three for Washoe County, one for Lyon County and the lone representative of Bisbee, Ariz.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.

Beard winners

Longest

First- Charles Everinham

Second - Daljit Sekhom

Third - Behr Hofner

Blackest

First - Amandee P. Singh

Second - Kewal Sekhow

Third - Sukkraj S. Pamma

Whitest

First - Ray Smith

Second - Malkiat Dhami

Third - Robert Beeler

Reddest

First - Eric Klug

Second - Matt Gerken

Third - Marvel Reed

Scruffiest

First - Tommy Thacker

Second - Russell Lenhares

Third - Stinke

Best Manicuried/Groomed

First - Bart Lyons

Second - Amrik Semgh

Third - Robert Gonzalez

Fullest

First - Jack Kras

Second - Dick Jones

Third - Phil Olsen

Salt & Pepper

First - James Bone

Second - Ray Frederick

Third - Robert Gonzales

County Representatives

Storey - 28

Carson City - 20

Douglas - 3

Reno - 3

Tahoe City - 2

Lyon - 1

Bisbee, Ariz. - 1