Winners by a whisker; Vermont beats Montana in beard contest to benefit Make-A-Wish

In a razor-thin finish, Vermont has beaten out Montana in a beard competition to benefit the Make-A-Wish chapters of their respective states.

After learning of the annual Vermont Beardies, a competition to find the best beard in Vermont, Make-A-Wish Montana’s CEO challenged Vermont that Montanans could grow better beards, and put a case of  bison steaks on the line. He even recruited the mayor of Missoula to deliver the message.

Not to be outdone, Vermont accepted Missoula’s challenge with a videotaped message from the actor who played Dos Equis’ original Most Interesting Man in the World, Jonathan Goldsmith. In response to Montana’s bet, Vermont bet a case of maple syrup that their hairy brethren would prevail.

Each state held contests and submitted teams of their top four winners to an objective third-party judge, president of the RVA Beard League of Richmond, Va., Chad Roberts.

In the end it was Dillon Mears of Barre Town, of the Vermont Beardies team who brought home the fuzzy honor for the Green Mountain State.

Said Chad Roberts of Mears’ winning, majestic scruff, “His beard has great density, a good shape, and he wears it well. I’d probably suggest he not trim his sideburns down past his ear, but that’s between him and his barber.”

Coming in second was Montana’s Jason Hamman: “With great length and fullness, his beard was a definite standout.”

Coming in third was Vermont’s Troy Headrick. “His beard is well-groomed and debonair. It’s a textbook example of stylish.”

Dillon Mears and his beard are now invited to participate in the 2018 Great American Beard & Moustache Championship on Sept. 29 in Richmond, Va.

The real winners of this competition between Vermont and Montana were children facing critical illnesses. The Vermont and Montana Beardies contests raised over $50,000 for Make-A-Wish Vermont and Make-A-Wish Montana.