‘My mullet now has a purpose’: 2 east Idaho men enter national mullet championship

AMMON — The business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back style is making its rounds across eastern Idaho after two locals entered a national competition, showing off their mullets to win a prize for the best-looking one.

Zachary Reiswig from Rexburg and Jarod Rigby from Ammon entered a competition hosted by the USA Mullet Championships. The event is called “USA Mullet Champ Men’s Open Division.”

The USA Mullet Championships website says, “Long before it was popularized by actors and rock stars in the 1980s, the Mullet has been traced back to warriors in Ancient Greece. Today mullet style and mullet culture is back, bro’, and in a big way. Think you’ve got what it takes to ride the wave to Mullet Fame?”

The rules are simple. Contestants have to be 19 or older, and no wigs or extensions are allowed. Pictures are submitted. Then anyone gets to vote on social media for the best-looking mullet.

“It’s fun to see a group of guys with mullets come together like this,” Rigby told EastIdahoNews.com.

Here’s how the competition works: pictures of the men who have entered the championship with their mullets get posted on Facebook by the USA Mullet Championships. The pictures with the most likes or reactions get to move on to the next round.

“It’s been a lot of fun seeing a lot of friends on Facebook that I haven’t talked to in a long time getting excited and sharing (my picture) and trying to encourage their friends to go and like it. I’ve had family in California share it, and family in Utah and Texas. Friends from all over the country have shared it,” said Reiswig.

The first round of voting happened last week. There were 451 contestants, or 451 “glorious mullet” pictures to click through from across the United States.

“It’s been really fun seeing everyone react, both positively and negatively, having to look at so many mullets at once! Some people get a kick out of it, some people are telling me that they are scarred for life now,” said Reiswig, laughing.

Both Reiswig and Rigby made it to the second round of voting, which includes the top 100 on Facebook. The second round of voting ends Wednesday at 9:59 p.m.

After that, there is a final round of voting for the top 25. Click here for more information on what’s coming up in the mullet contest.

Rigby told EastIdahoNews.com this is the first time he’s ever entered into a competition like this. He heard about it last year on the radio.

“I had been growing a mullet just for fun (last year) and then heard about the competition. My mullet now has a purpose,” said Rigby.

He said it has been an honor to be voted into the top 100.

“A lot of people kind of have a stigma with mullets like, ‘You are a dirty guy,’ but it’s been fun to see people say, ‘Hey, that’s actually a pretty good mullet,’ and ‘You wear that mullet well!'” said Rigby.

For Reiswig, this is the first time he has participated too. He said he entered a mullet competition at the Madison County Fair, and one of his aunts found the national competition and told him about it.

“I have been growing mine for about two and a half years. Before that, it was always kind of a joke with my wife. She hated the idea of having a mullet…. She’s had a major change of heart. She doesn’t want me to ever cut it off!” Reiswig said. “I got a lot of compliments on it. This is the longest it’s ever been.”

Reiswig is planning on being a part of the competition again next year.

As for Rigby, he has no plans on cutting his hair off anytime soon so he can make it even better so he can enter again too.

“I am going to stay strong for next year,” Rigby said. “I am just happy for the opportunity I have to show off my mullet!”

Reiswig and Rigby are trying to get the most likes and reactions on Facebook and make it to the final round. Vote below.

The first-prize winner will get the mullet mega money pot, which is $2,500.