Local boy advances in national mullet contest, voting open again

CAYUTA, N.Y. (WETM) – 8-year-old Ronan Padgett from Cayuta, New York is campaigning for votes to advance to the final round of the “ USA Mullet Championships .” Voting is now open in the second round, which includes the top 100 mullets in his age group. The top 25 contestants will make it to the final. You can vote for Ronan here until July 30th.

“How did it feel to learn that you had advanced?” asked reporter Nick Dubina.

“It was pretty good,” Ronan said, while getting his mullet trimmed at Red’s Barbershop in Big Flats . “I just dropped a lot, and I didn’t think I would make it to second round. “The rewards are a belt, like a WWE wrestling belt, and five grand.”

Ronan has been growing out his mullet for 4 years.

“How would you describe your style?

“Party in the back, business in the front. Very very party. A very big party.”

We first met Ronan last summer at a ceremony for the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office . After his father David Padgett was promoted to Lieutenant, Ronan approached the news cameras to announce his first bid to become the national mullet champ. He also made it to the second round last summer.

We met Ronan again in March when he saw his mom, Erica Lapierre, make history. Lapierre became the first female Captain in the Elmira Police Department, and the first woman to reach that rank in Chemung County .

“I felt very proud of my mom,” Ronan told us on March 7th.

We asked Lapierre what it has been like to support Ronan on his mission to become the national mullet champ.

“Mom gets the maintenance and promotion duties,” Lapierre said. “So, we come down to Red’s Barbershop to keep him looking fresh and promote him on social media and all that fun stuff”

“It’s good, he’s excited about his mullet,” said his father, David Padgett.

“What is your message for your competitors?”

“I actually want for the competitors to have fun and try to make their best interest and hope to see them next year in the competition, and good luck to them,” Ronan said.

“What’s your slogan this year?” his dad said.

“Make mullets great again!”

To vote for Ronan, click here .

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