Mr. Fur Face
Encyclopedia
Fur Rondy has been held in Anchorage, Alaska
during the late winter since 1950. It is a celebration of the time when trappers would return to the city to gather and share stories, sell their furs and antlers, and to socialize. It also commemorates the start of the Iditarod
. One part of Fur Rondy is the Miners and Trappers Ball, which is a fundraiser for the Lions Club's of Alaska. The Miners and Trappers Ball has a yearly theme focused on one part of Alaskan life. The highlight of the Miners and Trappers Ball is the Mr. Fur Face beard
contest. The contest is sponsored by the Southeast Alaska Beard and Mustache Club.
contests in America. The 2011 contest was held on March 5, 2011. Contestants vie for the title in categories such as:
The categories are based primarily on facial hair
color, but include categories for beard style as well. Three judges choose the winner, but ladies from the audience, affectionately known as the "beard fondlers", are eager to assist in choosing the champion. Each category has a winner and the overall title of Mr. Fur Face is given to the grand champion chosen from the best in each group.
The newly crowned Mr. Fur Face also becomes the next president of the South Central Alaska Beard and Moustache Club, if he accepts the nomination. If he chooses not to take over the reins of the club, then SCAKBMC members vote for a new president as directed by the club bylaws.
SCAKBMC club members have competed in the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Carson City, Nevada
(2003), Berlin
, Germany
(2005), Brighton
, England
(2007), Anchorage (2009), and Trondheim, Norway in 2011.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
during the late winter since 1950. It is a celebration of the time when trappers would return to the city to gather and share stories, sell their furs and antlers, and to socialize. It also commemorates the start of the Iditarod
Iditarod
Iditarod may refer to:*Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, an annual sled dog race in the Alaskan Interior and western coast*Iditarod Trail, a historical trail across the Alaskan Interior*Iditarod, Alaska, a town for which the trail and races are named...
. One part of Fur Rondy is the Miners and Trappers Ball, which is a fundraiser for the Lions Club's of Alaska. The Miners and Trappers Ball has a yearly theme focused on one part of Alaskan life. The highlight of the Miners and Trappers Ball is the Mr. Fur Face beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
contest. The contest is sponsored by the Southeast Alaska Beard and Mustache Club.
Contest
The Mr. Fur Face Contest continues today as one of the longest running beardBeard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
contests in America. The 2011 contest was held on March 5, 2011. Contestants vie for the title in categories such as:
- Mr. Alaskan WhalerWhalerA whaler is a specialized ship, designed for whaling, the catching and/or processing of whales. The former included the whale catcher, a steam or diesel-driven vessel with a harpoon gun mounted at its bows. The latter included such vessels as the sail or steam-driven whaleship of the 16th to early...
- A beard without a mustache - Mr. Brown BearBrown BearThe brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
- Brown beard - Mr. Black BearAmerican black bearThe American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
- Black beard - Mr. Honey BearHoney bearHoney bear may refer to:Bear species with light-colored upper-chest fur:* Sun Bear of Southeast Asia* Sloth Bear of Indian subcontinentOther bear species:* American black bear* Kinkajou, native of Latin AmericaInanimate objects:...
- Blond beard - Mr. Mountain GoatMountain goatThe Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
- GoateeGoateeGoatee refers to a style of facial hair incorporating hair on a man’s chin. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.Traditionally, goatee refers solely to a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin... - Mr. Polar BearPolar BearThe polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
- White beard - Mr. Pole CatPolecat (disambiguation)A polecat is an animal. The term may refer to:Animals* Several species of the weasel family of animals, including:** The Marbled Polecat, Vormela peregusna** The Steppe Polecat, Mustela eversmanii** The Striped Polecat, Ictonyx striatus...
- Mixed color beard - Mr. PtarmiganPtarmiganThe Rock Ptarmigan is a medium-sized gamebird in the grouse family. It is known simply as Ptarmigan in Europe and colloquially as Snow Chicken or Partridge in North America, where it is the official bird for the territory of Nunavut, Canada, and the official game bird for the province of...
- Anything goes - Mr. PyritePyriteThe mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS2. This mineral's metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold because of its resemblance to gold...
- Fake beard or mustache - Mr. Red FoxRed FoxThe red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
- Red Beard - Mr. Soup strainer - Mustache
- Mr. Wolf - Trim, suave beard
The categories are based primarily on facial hair
Facial hair
Facial hair is a secondary sex characteristic of human males. Men often start developing facial hair in the later years of puberty or adolescence, approximately between 17–20 years of age, and most do not finish developing a fully adult beard until their early 20s or even later...
color, but include categories for beard style as well. Three judges choose the winner, but ladies from the audience, affectionately known as the "beard fondlers", are eager to assist in choosing the champion. Each category has a winner and the overall title of Mr. Fur Face is given to the grand champion chosen from the best in each group.
Past Champions
If a contestant wins the Overall Title as Mr. Fur Face for three out of five years, then he is able to retire the main trophy and, in doing so, often retires from competing himself. Multiple year winners gain a folklorish type following among many Alaskans. The legendary champions of the contest include David Traver (4X), Robert Crawford (4X), Jim Fisher (4X), John Pex (3X), Earl Carson (3X), Larry Smith (3X), and Warren Kolb (3X).The newly crowned Mr. Fur Face also becomes the next president of the South Central Alaska Beard and Moustache Club, if he accepts the nomination. If he chooses not to take over the reins of the club, then SCAKBMC members vote for a new president as directed by the club bylaws.
SCAKBMC club members have competed in the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
(2003), Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(2005), Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(2007), Anchorage (2009), and Trondheim, Norway in 2011.