Mutton chops champion invited to be beard judge

A man who took up competitive facial hair growing following a life-changing accident has been invited to judge an international competition.

Mick "The Chops" Wallage will preside over next year's World Beard and Moustache Championships after winning three back-to-back titles himself.

The competition is being held in the US over three days next July.

Mr Wallage, from Ripley in Derbyshire, said it was an honour to be asked.

"I never imagined that this broken council estate bloke would make it to the pinnacle of competitive bearding when I started," he said.

"I think they look for people who have got a lot of experience and know beards.

"I've always been competitive and I've always paid attention to detail; that's what I will be looking for."

Mr Wallage cultivated his mutton chops following a road crash in 2004 that left him in a wheelchair for months.

"It was touch-and-go whether I was keeping my legs," he said.

"I saw a programme on TV called Whisker Wars. I thought, 'even if I'm stopping in this wheelchair I can still grow a good beard'."

His first competition was a British championships for mutton chops in 2012.

"I got first place for my chops and it mushroomed from there," he said.

"As far as I remember I've won every competition I've entered, apart from one."

The 2025 competition is being held at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 3 to 5 July.

There are 37 different categories, including Freestyle Moustache, Alaskan Whaler, and Musketeer.

Only certain styling aids are approved, including wax and hairspray.

Competitors cannot dye their beards or use hair extensions, and hair pins are also banned.

The championships are held every two years and Mr Wallage previously triumphed when they were held in Texas in 2017, in Antwerp in 2019, and in Burghausen in 2023.

Being a judge means Mr Wallage will not be able to defend his title in 2025, but he plans to compete at the championships when they are held in Blackpool in 2027.

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