Should facial hair of some sort be a requirement for Classic Cowboy?

[T-Square]

Count me in !  .....in about TEN YEARS (joke)

Edited April 7 by T-Square

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 4/5/2026 at 1:20 PM, Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 said:

Seriously! People are constantly using old photos of cowboys, etc. as examples of how costuming should be. It's kind of been my impression that in the vast majority of those photos the subjects are wearing some style of facial hair, whether it be mustache, beard, whatever. So why not require it in Classic Cowboy? 

 

Except for one year when I was having worse than normal wrist issues, I've been shooting CC for almost twenty years, so I'm not bringing this up because I ain't "been there, done that". I have. So why not?

NO!

[Matthew Duncan]

10 hours ago, Assassin said:

Perhaps a Facial Hair category. Heck, we've got a category for everything else.

Shucks.  Ain’t SASS have enough participation awards?

[Rye Miles #13621]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Duncan said:

Shucks.  Ain’t SASS have enough participation awards?

If we get 25 shooters at a monthly match nearly everyone gets first place in their category! It’s beyond ridiculous! 🤪

[Matthew Duncan]

39 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

If we get 25 shooters at a monthly match nearly everyone gets first place in their category! It’s beyond ridiculous! 🤪

I “won” a certificate for first place in ladies B western.  It was so cold that day that they were warming cartridges to a dull red in the club house’s oven before running out to shoot a stage, just to get the cartridges to fire. Anywho I borrow a revolver from Korupt Karl, loaded one round and fired down range.  Posse Leader SD me for shooting out of category.  Then I told Midnight Desperado (Match Director) that his hat was ugly, that earned my a MD.  I returned to the nice and warm club house to finishing updating the club’s website.

Edited April 7 by Matthew Duncan
Correct autocorrect errors

[El Chapo]

On 4/5/2026 at 11:28 AM, Rip Snorter said:

Interesting point, actually, if you look it up, near 90% of U.S. males had facial hair around the turn of the century, 1890 on.  Trending toward moustaches!

 

Safety razor was not invented until 1904, so a shave was a luxury.  

 

I don't shoot Classic but I haven't shaved in years.

 

Might be hard for the ladies to shoot Classic Cowboy (which they can do) if we made this a rule.

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

On 4/5/2026 at 11:27 AM, Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 said:

I didn't say anything about looking good, just that it had to be there! 😁

My wife would be half way there under those conditions,  a few beers and she meets all of the above ...

[Vail Vigilante]

A pretty good idea if you ask me.

[Captain Bill Burt]

I think it's a great idea!  We could also ban some modern items like underwear and a full set of teeth!  Classic Cowboys (and Cowgirls) would have to be willing to demonstrate compliance with both requirements on demand.

[Cypress Sun]

Dadgum it!

[Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463]

Heck yeah!! I’m in! 

[Blackwater 53393]

Maybe facial hair should be among the choices of items that must be included!

[Joe LaFives #5481]

Yes that's what we need, more rules.   Heck maybe we should require missing teeth, body odor and long johns.

[Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580]

I want to thank all of you fine folks who took the time to reply to a thread that I started mainly because I thought it would be an interesting interlude in a game that I totally agree has too many rules and too many categories. It was started in fun, but also because I wanted to get some perspectives from more than the usual suspects, and it did, Thank you again. 

 

And just to clarify, I don't plan to propose that facial hair be included in the requirements for any category whatsoever. And if I have offended anyone with this thread, I apologize profusely.

[watab kid]

my thinking is we have enough requirements , if we add more like this one we eliminate shooters , arent we trying to recruit more shooters ? 

 

its all fun to discuss tho ................

[Matthew Duncan]

6 hours ago, Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 said:

I want to thank all of you fine folks who took the time to reply to a thread that I started mainly because I thought it would be an interesting interlude in a game that I totally agree has too many rules and too many categories. It was started in fun, but also because I wanted to get some perspectives from more than the usual suspects, and it did, Thank you again. 

 

And just to clarify, I don't plan to propose that facial hair be included in the requirements for any category whatsoever. And if I have offended anyone with this thread, I apologize profusely.

Ain’t no need for y’all to apologize.  Ain’t your fault some cowpokes were bottled fed.  I thought it was an overall interesting subject.

Edited April 9 by Matthew Duncan
Correct autocorrect

[The Surgeon]

15 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Maybe facial hair should be among the choices of items that must be included!

Now this is actually a cool idea. 

[Blackwater 53393]

26 minutes ago, The Surgeon said:

Now this is actually a cool idea. 

Thanks!

I was thinking that this COULD be included in the list of accoutrements that participants are required to select five items from! It would not change the number of items required, but offer another authentic item as an option!

[Dantankerous]

Did anyone else who lived/worked pre 1900 have facial hair or was it only cowboys who shot guns 38-40 and larger? 

[Rye Miles #13621]

I see two clean shaven cowboys here, there’s more if you search

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, Dantankerous said:

Did anyone else who lived/worked pre 1900 have facial hair or was it only cowboys who shot guns 38-40 and larger? 

Only soldiers, seamen, mountain men, farmers, lawmen, bullwhackers, outlaws, stage coach drivers, shotgun guards…. 😜

[Lever Action Landon]

One question is facial hair a requirement like felt hat or 40cal or larger, or is it an item to count towards your 5? I'm sure there are minimalist that would love to say that those couple of chin whiskers count so they can take something else off. Just saying 

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, Lever Action Landon said:

One question is facial hair a requirement like felt hat or 40cal or larger, or is it an item to count towards your 5? I'm sure there are minimalist that would love to say that those couple of chin whiskers count so they can take something else off. Just saying 

I guess some standard should be set for the length of watch chains too? What about the height of botas or the length of chinks?

 

Let’s not stoop to “splitting hairs”! 🤣🤣🤣

[Singin' Sue 71615]

We ARE all getting older...so facial hair? Yeah...I got that covered!🤪

[Sixgun Seamus]

On 4/7/2026 at 8:55 AM, T-Square said:

Count me in !  .....in about TEN YEARS (joke)

I know the guy on the right and he's a pretty nice guy.......he's OK.......but the guy on the left......hmmmmm.......I don't think I'd want to leave him alone with any my grandkids.

[SouthwestShooter]

On 4/5/2026 at 10:20 AM, Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 said:

Seriously! People are constantly using old photos of cowboys, etc. as examples of how costuming should be. It's kind of been my impression that in the vast majority of those photos the subjects are wearing some style of facial hair, whether it be mustache, beard, whatever. So why not require it in Classic Cowboy? 

 

Except for one year when I was having worse than normal wrist issues, I've been shooting CC for almost twenty years, so I'm not bringing this up because I ain't "been there, done that". I have. So why not?

Women too?

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, SouthwestShooter said:

Women too?

I think Singin’ Sue answered that’n!  🤣🤣🤣

[Assassin]

8 hours ago, Lever Action Landon said:

One question is facial hair a requirement like felt hat or 40cal or larger, or is it an item to count towards your 5? I'm sure there are minimalist that would love to say that those couple of chin whiskers count so they can take something else off. Just saying 

The facial hair would have to be visible and not have a name for each follicle. 

[Dusty Devil Dale]

A facial hair requirement will probably reduce your CC category competition and slightly increase competition in some other caregories.  For lots of reasons, including skin issues, job dress codes, and even wife preferences, facial hair is not in the cards for many folks.  

[watab kid]

9 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Only soldiers, seamen, mountain men, farmers, lawmen, bullwhackers, outlaws, stage coach drivers, shotgun guards…. 😜

railroad men , bankers , a few of the women of the night 

[Blackwater 53393]

58 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

A facial hair requirement will probably reduce your CC category competition and slightly increase competition in some other caregories.  For lots of reasons, including skin issues, job dress codes, and even wife preferences, facial hair is not in the cards for many folks.  

It wouldn’t be mandatory, just one more option in the list of items to choose from!

 

That’s the way it should be done!

[Will Kane]

Leave Classic Cowboy alone!

[Blackwater 53393]

On 4/9/2026 at 11:45 PM, Will Kane said:

Leave Classic Cowboy alone!

This suggestion would do NOTHING to change what you’re already doing in the category! It would merely add one more, (and I’d say a most authentic) option for use in participation!!

[Singin' Sue 71615]

On 4/9/2026 at 6:56 PM, Blackwater 53393 said:

I think Singin’ Sue answered that’n!  🤣🤣🤣

Yup.

Shanley looked over at me the other day...and started smileing!

I asked what?

He said " you're glowing" 

I said "awwwwweeee"

 He laughed... "your upper lip is really filling in" 😜

[Hashknife Cowboy]

I just realized I have a aunt that would qualify ......