The 2023 Honest Amish National Beard and Moustache Championships in Daytona Beach were a sight to behold. Photographer Elle Jaye was there to capture the official portraits of the contestants, showcasing their incredible facial hair styles.

From well-groomed beards to outlandish and artistic creations, participants entered a wide range of categories. The freestyle category was particularly impressive, as contestants used their natural hair to sculpt amazing shapes. It’s truly remarkable what can be done with a beard or mustache.

Elle’s portraits beautifully captured the pride these contestants had for their facial hair. Many of them had spent years perfecting their look, and you could see the satisfaction on their carefully groomed faces. With 47 different categories, the competition was fierce, but Jacob Darlington emerged as the ultimate winner, taking home the Best in Show award after winning the Full Beard Garibaldi category.

The Garibaldi beard, as described on the contest website, is wide and round at the bottom, with a maximum length of 8 inches from the bottom of the lower lip. It should have a natural appearance, with no distinct mustache separate from the beard.

Take a look at Elle’s portraits of the winners and finalists below or check out previous contests from 2017 and 2015. Their creativity is truly inspiring.

Contestants competed in 47 different categories that honour creative facial hair

The participants proudly displayed their creative freestyle and perfectly maintained impressive creations

Source: https://www.nationalbeardchampionships.com/