Rushville resident Wally McCane made an appearance on Sunday, Aug. 11, at the Indiana State Fair, competing in the Statewide Mullet Competition. McCane was one of only 15 selected to compete. 

At the beginning of the competition, contestants had a minute to introduce themselves to the crowd and talk about their “business in the front and party in the back.”

When it was McCane’s turn, he shared, “Hi folks, my name is Wally. Proud to be here. I call this the accidental mullet because when COVID started, we couldn’t go get our hair cut or nothing. I have a heart problem and COPD and was scared to go to the barbershop. Well, I am also a retired golf course superintendent and on a very limited income because we green keepers don’t make a whole lot of money. So when I could go to the barber shop, I found out I only had enough money to cut the front half.” 

The crowd roared with laughter. 

Wally continued, “So, that’s what happened. Then it turned into this, thanks to my sculptress Promise’s Barber Shop in Rushville. Let’s hear it for Promise.”

McCane hoped to win first place to help purchase the costly heart medicine he needs. Although Wally didn’t win, his daughter Samantha McCane shared how much they enjoyed the experience.

“It was definitely a new experience for all of us. He (Wally) was very excited from the start. He learned about it (being selected) on the news about a month ago. He said he never expected to be doing something like this at 70 years old. It was a really good time.”

The “Mullet Champ” competition supports Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors  a nonprofit foundation that provides mortgage-free accessible homes to critically wounded combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.