Business in the Front, Party in the Back! Meet the Winners of the 2023 Kids Mullet Championship
The first, second and third place winners had it all going on — and voters loved them
With his $5,000 in prize money from the 2023 Kids Mullet Championship, Rory Ehrlich hopes to buy his sister an alpaca for their family farm in Pottstown, Pennsylvania — and treat his parents to his favorite meal, wings.
"He wants for everyone else," mom Airen says of her 6-year-old, who learned of the contest himself last year and started growing his hair soon after. "It's incredible how much it grew in 18 months."
Rory bested nearly 1,000 other kids in the annual competition, which raises funds for Jared Allen's Homes for Wounded Warriors.
"The kids' contest is by far the biggest thing we do all year," says Kevin Begola, who founded the contest (which also has categories for teens, men, women and seniors) in 2020. "The parents are very passionate."
Check out Rory's great do, plus those of the second and third place winners!
Rory Ehrlich, First Place
"There aren't any mullets in our family," says Airen. "My husband actually had one when he was 2 years old but it's funny because Rory hasn't even ever seen those pictures. But once he found out about the competition he just got it in his mind like, 'I'm going to grow this mullet and I'm going to enter this contest.' He's so excited he won."
Rory Ehrlich, First Place
Rory "does plan to keep the mullet," his mom says. "He jokes, 'Maybe I'll cut it when I'm 8.' "
Ezekiel Arita, Second Place
Arita, 2, of Honolulu, has 19 inches of hair, which his family hasn't cut much since his birth. "Everybody recognizes him — it's his deal," says his dad Daniel. "It's 'Oh that's Ezekiel the mullet boy.' It's just him."
Ezekiel Arita, Second Place
Artia's family plans to donate his $1,000 winnings — and then some — to various organizations raising money for victims of the recent Maui fire.
"We're on Oahu but have friends and family that have loved ones on Maui," Daniel shares. "It's been tough."
Kamden Cunningham, Third Place
After a bad haircut by his brother, Cunningham, 5, of Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, opted to style his hair in a mullet.
Kamden Cunningham, Third Place
Cunningham won $500 in the contest, which he hopes to spend on tickets to see the Los Angeles Chargers and his favorite player, Justin Herbert, whose hair inspired him.
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