Jeremy Stott, a former engineer who turned to barbering after a serious motorcycle accident, won the 2026 barber championship at the Sydney Hair Festival held at the ICC exhibition centre.
The event brought together hairdressers, barbers, and stylists for live cutting competitions under strict time constraints.
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Three contests ran simultaneously: the barber competition, emerging talent barber, and women's cutting competition.
Around 30 competitors and their models worked on five benches, with a half-hour countdown.
Participants had to cut at least 1.5cm of hair, and judges evaluated creativity, trendiness, and model suitability.
Stott, who entered barbering just eight months prior after a major motorcycle accident that injured his neck, back, leg, and both wrists, presented an anime-inspired look that was difficult to execute within the time limit.
"He's got really, really nice hair that's super thick, so I was a bit panicked about the time," Stott said.
"My hands got crazy shaky towards the end … But I think we did all right."
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Competitors traveled from Melbourne, regional Victoria, and the NSW Central Coast for the fifth annual event.
Organizers emphasized that the live format highlights pure hair creativity without digital alterations.
A separate braiding competition featured 13 participants completing four box braids within an hour.
Lea Avery, a 12-year braiding veteran competing for the first time, noted a lack of diversity, with only two afro hair stalls among 150.
After a judging delay, winners were announced on the main stage. Stott was named overall 2026 barber champion, drawing loud celebrations from his barbershop colleagues.
"I was hoping for maybe, at best, third place," Stott said. "I'm just happy that I have that to prove to myself."
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When asked about his plans, he said he would return to cutting hair.
