Iceglow, if everyone was allowed to trim and shape and keep their beard nice and neat-looking, then the contest would go on forever, because no one would have incentive to shave. Everyone would just trim and shape and keep it nice-looking, and the contest would go nowhere. The point is to want to get rid of it, but to hold out for a) entertainment and b) the prize(s).

As for the students and bums comment, there are a great deal of both who belong to this forum. I can't take everyone's personal lives into account when making the rules for the contest. Besides, those with upstanding and executive jobs probably wouldn't be interested in a beard contest anyway.

The point is to want to shave, and to hold out as long as you can. I guess you've never seen Knocked Up.