MATTAWAMKEAG, Maine — A 6-year-old Mainer is hoping his impressive mane will garner enough votes for him to advance in the 2023 USA Mullet Championship.
His name is Vance Pelkey and he hails from Mattawamkeag. He's been growing his mullet since he was 4 and said he learned about the hairstyle from his older brother.
Here's how Vance's mom, Tayla Garland, described her son's realization that he needed some party in the back to go with the business in the front:
At 4 years old I took Vance to the barber to get his shaggy hair that was hanging in his eyes trimmed up. When the barber called him into his seat and asked him what he would like, out of no where he asked, "Can four year olds have mullets?" Barber John looked back at me, smiled, and said of course they can. Vance's mullet is his pride and joy. Everyone asks him when he is going to cut it off and the answer is either, "when I am 8 years old" or "when it gets down to my butt, but I'm growing it right back!" Also, the curls are 100% natural.
Vance said his favorite part about the hairstyle is shaking his curly lettuce from side to side, adding the only person who has ever pressured him to cut it was his grandfather.
Vance's mom said he finished 8th out of 100 competitors in his age group (5 to 8 years old) in Round 1. Round 2 voting runs until July 24. People can vote online once every 24 hours. Click here to vote for Vance.
The competition also encourages voters to include a monetary donation, with 100 percent of the donations going to Jared Allen's Homes for Wounded Warriors. The nonprofit organization provides critically injured United States military veterans with injury-specific, accessible, and mortgage-free homes.
Regardless of what happens in the competition, Vance can find comfort in knowing he has put Maine mullets on the map.
Click here to see some of the other mullets Vance is up against.
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