Winners Are Standouts at Valley Fair : It’s No Close Shave for Best of Beards

The competition was tough Sunday, but it wasn’t exactly a close shave as 12 fuzzy-faced men competed for best, youngest, oldest and ugliest beards at the San Fernando Valley Fair.

Some male egos were flattered, others battered as the rowdy audience applauded their favorites. But the winners were standouts.

George Holchob, winner for the oldest beard, was attired in the youngest-looking clothes--a Boy Scout uniform complete with merit badges and medals. The white-whiskered gentleman explained his garb by saying that he ran the Boy Scout booth at the fair, which ended Sunday at California State University, Northridge, North Campus.

Bearded for 15 years, the 57-year-old Sepulveda resident said he stopped shaving because “I was tired of my razor, so I threw it over the fence.”

The award for best beard was bestowed on Dan Pierce, a tough-looking Sun Valley truck driver who concealed the rest of his face with a blue bandanna and dark sunglasses. His wife, Kathy, said she prefers her husband with a beard because he “looks much friendlier.”

‘Fuzzy Teddy Bear’

“When he shaves, you can see his face, which tends to be a little mean-looking,” she said. “He’s more of a big fuzzy teddy bear like this.”

Pierce, who has a long, dark ponytail, also came close to winning the prize for the ugliest beard. But the winner of that honor, by a hair, was John Carr of Granada Hills.

Carr, who said he has worn his sandy-colored ponytail and long, scraggly beard for 20 years, was nicknamed “Woodstock” by the contest’s emcee in honor of the famed 1969 Woodstock, N.Y., rock concert that celebrated long-haired youths.

His fascination with beards is historical as well as philosophical, said Carr, who writes science-fiction books and has a graduate degree in medieval history.

“They make a man look unique like nothing else will,” Carr said. “It definitely gives a man presence.”

Carr was even philosophical about his beard being distinguished as the ugliest.

“I guess it’s sort of a reverse compliment,” he said, smiling shyly.

As for the youngest beard winner, his name was Paul and he was from Encino. But he was gone before he could tell his hairy tale.