Giant Pumpkin Growing first gained worldwide recognition at the turn of the twentieth century when William Warnock of Goderich, Ontario Canada sent an astounding 400 pound specimen to Paris World’s Fair 1900 and won both a special bronze medal and diploma from France for it.
Warnock previously held the world record at 365 pounds when he set it in 1893. To win this championship title and achieve global recognition, Warnock exhibited his 403 pounder at the St Louis World’s Fair 1903 (that stood until it was broken by Bob Ford of Coatesville Pennsylvania in 1976).
At the U.S. Pumpkin Contest held in Churchville, PA in 1978, USA displayed a 451 pound specimen at its annual contest. International Competition resumed that same year when Canadian Howard Dill of Windsor Nova Scotia captured his first of four consecutive international pumpkinship titles at Cornell Contest held in Pennsylvania.
Dill established his initial world record of 459 pounds in 1980 and broke it again the next year by harvesting a 493.5 pound pumpkin.
Norman Gallagher from Chelan, Washington set an astounding world record of 612 pounds at the second annual World Pumpkin Confederation Weigh-Off in 1984. Meanwhile, Bob Gancarz of Wrightstown, New Jersey entered an amazing 671 pound pumpkin for the competition that year.
Leonard STampfurg broke the world squash record in 1988 with his 653.5 pounder at WPC Weigh-Off Capitol in Collins, New York; three other specimens broke through 700 pounds with Gordon Thomson of Hemmingford Quebec Canada taking top honors on that day and the World Record title for pumpkin growing.
At the WPC Weigh-Off in Collins, Ed Gancarz won first place for his 755 pound pumpkin. Leonard Stellpflug again broke his own World Record to regain it with his 743 pound squash specimen; and Ed Gancarz set another world record during 1990 contest with 730 pounds pumpkin!
Len Stellpflug had an 816.5 pound specimen, while Len Scott-Hedrick produced an 807-pound squash. Prior to that he set a world record of his own by producing two 800-pound specimens in one season – making history along the way! Among this year’s 300+ entries were two giant specimens with weights between 821-822 pounds each, creating the world’s first two 800+ specimens grown simultaneously!
Waddell Estep of Los Angeles entered a 245 pound watermelons to the World Watermelons Cup Competition this year. WPC President Ray Waterman entered his 99 inch world record long gourd into this year’s competition as well. Since 1991 more growers have entered the 700lb club with all five being entered at once!
Ray Waterman and Ayo Ogungbuyi brought in a winning pumpkin of 780.5 pounds while Alan Nesbitt won in the squash class with 733.00 pounds. Ivan and Lloyd Bright placed first for watermelon with 229.5 lb at Hope, Arkansas during 1992 season.
World records were set once more with Joel Holland of Puyallup, WA setting an incredible 827-lb pumpkin weight and Richard Wright breaking the bushel gourd record to 231.5 lb. Prior to this record being set in 1993 by Norm Craven’s 836 lb pumpkin; Phil Broun had previously held onto it.
Lillie, another Ontario grower, recorded a 53.5 lb rutabaga record. Experts predict that either green squash or pumpkin will surpass 1000 pounds by the turn of this century! In addition, several other world records for vegetables, fruit and flowers exist!
WPC members hold regular events and the WPC has quickly grown into one of the leading gardening organizations worldwide.
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