Winners of the 2023 Mulletfest, attracting international competition, have been awarded their party-in-the-back prizes after the big event over the weekend.
Mulletfest began in 2018 at the Chelmsford Hotel, in Kurri Kurri.
It raises money for a cause very close to everyone’s hearts, brain cancer research, care and treatment, through local boy charity The Mark Hughes Foundation.
It’s thought that if you are a fish out of water everywhere else, you’ll feel right at home at Mulletfest, and they say “An Englishman, a Frenchman and an Aussie walk into a festival and they all got along brilliantly – because mullets bring people together”.
Competition was fierce for the 2023 Grand Final on Saturday at Hebburn Motorsports Park, bringing together finalists from heats all around the country – plus a couple of internationals.
The judges considered the unique story behind every head of hair, and noting that if someone is proudly rocking a mullet they probably have a huge personality, stage presence was a big part of the final scores, combining “the strut and the cut”.
Making the stage this year was veteran Robert Walsh, winner of the Vintage category, who has been coming from the Central Coast since year one. Shaun Jackson snatched the Grubby prize, in his VB budgy smugglers, and the Paynters from Alice Springs won Best Family Mullet with five clan members on show.
Special mention for clocking the most travel time was army doctor Alastair Bush, who came to Australia in February to compete at the Chelmsford’s event, winning his heat, and flew back for this weekend. Attracting some attention from the British media, he did a live cross to London during the event’s last leg, and is using his newfound fame to bring awareness to testicular cancer.
A host of Mulleted events are slated for 2024, with organisers telling venues and contestants applications are now open.
2023 WINNERS
Kids:
0-3: Nash Machielse
4-7: Jedric Jackman
8-13: Harley Crampton
14-17: Logan Stevenson
Categories:
Vintage: Robert Walsh
Rookie: Lisa Wright
Everyday: Mitchell White
Grubby: Shaun Jackson
Ranga: Hadrien Le Roy
Extreme: Allan Williamson
International: Alastair Bush
Family: The Paynters
Best Mullet: Mitchell White
