A neatly cut beard is of enormous importance in life, believe me. It produces an extraordinary effect. Look at me. I have my beard cut regularly twice a week and I am certain that a great deal of my popularity is due to it." - King Edward VII

I found the above quote on the blog of Phil Olsen, founder of Beard Team USA and the World Beard and Mustache Championships. I've never been a fan of shaving, so I find these photos from the 2007 WBMC in Brighton, England to be... well, inspirational.

Mark your calendars for May 23, 2009, when the the next championships will be held in Anchorage, Alaska. It's the second time the 6-year-old competition has taken place in North America.

(All of these extraordinary photos are by Daniel Berehulak of Getty Images.)

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