It was a case of perseverance pays off for stand-up comic Marky Worthington who can finally lay claim to having Canberra's Best Beard after entering the competition at King O'Malley's "multiple times".
"I guess this year was my year," he said.
Marky was chosen by an expert panel of judges including last year's winner John Ainley, Joe Musolino from Martino's Hair and Grooming for Men, and hirsute politician, Hunter MP, Dan Repacholi.
The 31-year-old from Belco took out the big prize after previously winning Longest Beard and Best Ned Kelly Beard.
And the win came at just the right time.
"I first started growing my beard 10 years ago - it's a 'beardversary'," Marky said.
Marky works in IT and has also been doing stand-up comedy in Canberra, mainly at The Baso.
But there is now a show planned for later this year at King O'Malley's, in City Walk.
"From now on, for 12 months at least, at every gig I'm going to be saying, 'This is brought to you by Canberra's Best Beard'," Marky said, with a laugh.
Pub owner Peter Barclay said there was a serious side to the competition, encouraging men to have regular skin cancer check-ups.
Skin Check Champions founder Scott Maggs was MC at the judging, explaining how he started the national charity following the death of a good mate, Wes Bonny, to melanoma. Wes was just 26.
Skin Check Champions raise awareness for - and access to - early detection services, especially for communities most at risk of skin cancer.
Dan Repacholi, meanwhile, was not only a judge, but a winner at the event.
He was awarded Best Beard on the Hill for the second year in a row (are there really any other contenders?).
Mr Repacholi spoke about the importance of men taking responsibility for their health, not only for themselves, but for the sake of their family, as well.
Two new categories were added to the competition this year - and they were, well, kind of niche.
The Best Antarctica Beard was won by Rusty Sturzaker, the boilermaker at the Davis research station in the Antarctic.
The Shackleton Beard was won by Dr Peter Rizzo, the Davis station doctor.
Their engraved winners' tankards and bottle of Shackleton's Whisky are now headed for Antarctica.
(The Antarctic connection was through Peter Barclay's friend Eric Ciesiolka, who is a plumber at Davis station and who got himself and the guys other involved in the beard competition.
Eric's former boss, Matthew McInerney from Twin City Plumbing in Canberra, had a free skin check at last year's beard competition after doing some work at the pub.
He was advised to get some irregular skin on his forehead checked out and went straight to his GP. A biopsy revealed there was skin cancer and it needed immediate surgery.
He's now doing well after a also having a skin graft from his shoulder. It was a chance check-up that saved him from something much worse down the track.
"The plastic surgeon said to me, 'If you were my dad, I'd want it out sooner rather than later'," Matthew said.
Meanwhile, Marty, who is originally from Moruya on the South Coast, moved to Canberra 12 years ago and started growing his beard two years later.
"I guess you could say this beard has been entirely curated in Canberra," he said.
Marty gets a six-monthly shape of his beard at Barbero Barbers on London Circuit and uses beard oil from Mad Viking Beard Co.
It was through Mad Viking he's also been invited to judge the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Pittsburgh in the United States next July.
If you want to check out Marty's comedy - and his beard - he'll be hosting the Mortal Comedy Roast at The Baso on November 7.
