Hundreds of competitors from 20 countries gathered in Germany for the World Beard and Moustache Championships.
Entrants from around the globe travelled to the southern town of Leinfelden-Echterdingen, outside Stuttgart, to compete for the best facial hair in a range of four categories and 18 sub-categories, including moustaches, chin beards, whiskers, full beards and trendy bears.
New Zealand competitor Nick Brown decided to enter his big, bushy brown beard after reading about the competition online about a year ago.
![Kiwi entrant, Nick Thomas.Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/YAPQJSQEHMIZGB2FVS2MPYOKRU.jpg?auth=05b138f8733a8c6a78a42701220cfdf6e5065942a6b9f487f2a4e003d40af4bf&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)
"I thought I'd come and have a look, maybe grow a beard and see what happens."