The best beards and moustaches in the nation were on display Monday in Bend, Ore., at the country’s first National Beard and Moustache Championships.

The 189 beardsmen marched from the hotel to the Les Schwab Amphitheater where they strutted their stuff on a catwalk before a cheering crowd.

Toot Joslin of Tahoe City has award-winning facial hair. Photo/Provided

Contestants were judged by their whiskers, costumes, and overall presentations by an eight-member jury. At the end of the day, five beardsmen were named winners.

* Best moustache: Larry McClure, Walnut Creek

* Best partial beard: Toot Joslin, Tahoe City

* Best full beard: Aarne Bielefeldt, Willits

* Freestyle: Willi Chevalier, Sigmaringen, Germany

Each won $1,000.

Chevalier won the “Best in Show: Dockers King of Whiskers” along with a year’s supply of Dockers pants.

The 2010 National Beard and Moustache Championships included live music, craft beer, food vendors and live music, and it coincided with the annual Balloons Over Bend celebration. Organizers estimate the events drew abut 3,000 visitors.

Phil Olsen, self-appointed captain Beard Team USA and a lawyer from Lake Tahoe, worked with Visit Bend to bring the event to Bend. He chose Bend, in part, because of its appeal as an outdoor recreation mecca, but also because of its many craft breweries. Bend is one of the top breweries-per-capita cities in the nation, with seven per 75,000.