Pataskala's 8-year-old 'mullet man' finishes 3rd, donates winnings to charity
Pataskala is home to one of the best mullets in the country — at least among kids.
Dale Ramsey finished third in the Kids Mullet Championships after voting concluded Friday with 4,058 votes behind Epic Orta, of Texas, with 8,404 votes, and champion Emmitt Bailey, of Wisconsin, with 9,896.
While the 8-year-old made his way from the initial round of 689 kids to the top 25, he became a local celebrity in Pataskala. People would stop Dale and his family at local restaurants, Kroger and other places around town to ask for pictures with the "mullet man."
Dale said it felt good to place third, and he has no plans to cut the mullet that he's been sporting for more than two and half years.
Clay Ramsey, Dale's dad, described his son as a goal-driven kid.
"He puts his mind to something and he grabs a hold with both hands and doesn't let go and gives it everything he's got," Clay said.
Dale first started styling his hair in a mullet after being inspired by family friends, country music stars and his favorite YouTubers. Dale's mom, Ashley Ramsey, said a family friend told them about the competition last year, but the registration deadline had already passed. For a whole year, Dale had been waiting for his opportunity.
The Northridge third grader took his hairstyle to the next level for the competition and had the American flag shaved into the right side of his head by Newark barber James Savage.
With his third place finish, Dale receives as $250 prize as well as a T-shirt and a pair of Pit Viper sunglasses. Second place earned $500 and the first place winner received $2,500.
The USA Mullet Championships donated a portion of each entry fee to Maggie's Wigs 4 Kids Wellness Center of Michigan, a nonprofit that provides free wigs and support services to children and young adults experiencing hair loss due to cancer, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns and other disorders. This year’s kid and teen contests raised $3,500 for the organization.
Prior to the final vote tally, Dale had already decided to give a portion of his winnings to charity if he placed. Dale chose the Catch-a-Dream Foundation, a non-profit that "grants once-in-a-lifetime hunting and fishing experiences to children 18 years old or younger who have a life-threatening illness," according to the organization's website.
The Ramsey family loves the outdoors, and Dale's favorite activities include hunting and fishing. Having donated to the organization in the past, the family knows it costs about $4,500 to send one child on a trip.
Dale is donating his entire winnings to the organization, and Ashley has started a Facebook fundraiser to raise even more. As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser was up to $1,600.
"Because if I was in their shoes, I would want someone to do that for me," Dale said of the reason for supporting Catch-A-Dream.
Clay said the feeling was indescribable when Dale shared his plans for his prize money.
"It's a special thing to be able to raise somebody with that kind of mindset," he said. "Not just thinking about themselves, there's always a bigger picture."
"He's a special kid in a lot more ways than just one," Clay said.
mdevito@gannett.com
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Twitter: @MariaDeVito13
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Pataskala's 8-year-old 'mullet man' places 3rd in national hair contest
