Cambridge Middle School’s annual Mullet of the Month competition ran for the third year on Friday, as the school’s cricket pitch was transformed into a makeshift runway.
Ten finalists were selected to strut their stuff in front of four judges – The Breeze radio host Camille Guzzwell, BarbershopCo Cambridge owner Matt Cameron and team lead Luke Gibbs, and Class Act Hair Design owner Karen Banks.
Mason Murphy, who came second in the mullet category, wows judges with his catwalk moves. Photo: Steph Bell-Jenkins
The mullet hairstyle, which involves cutting hair short on top and at the sides and leaving length at the back, was popular in the 1980s and surged back into vogue in Cambridge around 2021.
However, Cameron said the look was “slowly phasing out”.
“Generally rugby players set the trend, so at the moment the style is edgars and tapers – and horseys are coming back,” he said.
Mullet of the Month was run in conjunction with Colour Your Day, which supports E Tu Tangata, a Christchurch-based charity aiming to tackle tall poppy syndrome in New Zealand.
Students wore bright clothing to school and donated money as they were encouraged to ‘help kids stand up for standing out’.
Amelia Hohneck shows off her “vertical pony tail”, moustache and improvised goatie.
The event also coincided with the Mental Health Foundation’s March mullet challenge, which has raised more than $150,000 to help kiwis access free mental health resources.
It’s a cause close to Guzzwell’s heart. She adopted a mullet last year to help “get mental health conversations started” and has been promoting her message through her breakfast radio show.
“I’m a really big believer in talking about mental health; it should be normalised a bit more,” she said. “When you say ‘how are you?’ there’s nothing wrong with saying ‘actually, I’m a bit average – have you got five minutes to talk about it?’.”
The Cambridge local loves her “shullet” (shaggy mullet).
Oliver Mckeon made an impact on the catwalk by pulling two flips.
“My daughter says I look like a nineties glam rocker…it is a little bit Bon Jovi,” she said.
This year’s Mullet of the Month winner was 11-year-old Arthur Heta, who said he began growing his hair three years ago, after an uncle who was very special to him died in a car accident.
“He had a long, curly mullet,” he said. “It was a way to remember him.”
With his long black locks stretching past his shoulder blades and his hair neatly shaved on the sides, the year 7 student was a crowd favourite.
“It felt kind of emotional because basically this was mostly for my family and my uncle,” he said. “They would be really proud.”
Mason Murphy, who came third last year, was runner-up.
Elena Doole created this colourful outfit drawing inspiration from her grandmother and “idol” Isobelle Fruish, who she said was “always whimsical and happy”.
A new Whacky and Creative Hairstyle category added this year attracted more female contestants and sparked a variety of eye-catching styles.
Year 8 student Isabelle Macallister, who Googled crazy hairstyles for inspiration, won the category after sifting through her recycling bin to find the apple juice bottle that formed the centrepiece of her elaborate creation.
The overall look showcased her hair pouring out of the bottle into a paper cup fitted over her ear.
Year 7 student Jayme Shearer was runner-up with her purple hair complemented by a rainbow outfit.
Prizes included salon vouchers, hair products, Chiefs rugby tickets and chocolate.
The Breeze radio announcer and judge Camille Guzzwell interviews Mullet of the Month winner Arthur Heta.
(Front) Mullet of the Month winner Arthur Heta (left) and runner-up Mason Murphy. (Centre, from left) Class Act Hair Design owner Karen Banks, The Breeze radio host Camille Guzzwell, Whacky and Creative Hairstyle runner-up Jayme Shearer and winner Isabelle Macallister. (Back, from left) BarbershopCo Cambridge team lead Luke Gibbs, competition organiser Joe Kingston and BarbershopCo Cambridge owner Matt Cameron.
Mullet of the Month competition runner-up Mason Murphy (left) goes head to head with winner Arthur Heta.
Finalists have one last chance to convince the judges in their final catwalk lap.
Jayme Shearer visited a $2 shop with her mum to create her rainbow-themed outfit.
Harper Wiseman poured a lot of thought into her outfit.
Jayme Shearer, runner-up in the Whacky and Creative Hairstyle category, struts her stuff.
Sakura Van Der Maazen (left) with her friend and eventual winner of the Whacky and Creative Hairstyle category Isabelle Macallister.
