Washington Grower Breaks the American Record Winning the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off
in Half Moon Bay California – 2,363-pound Gargantuan Gourd is the 2nd Heaviest Pumpkin Ever Grown Worldwide
Mighty Mega-Gourd and Four Heaviest Overall Star at this Weekend’s Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA (October 9, 2017) — There is a new American record holding pumpkin king and his name is Joel Holland, a retired firefighter from Sumner WA, who set a new American record with a gorgeous and gargantuan 2,363-pound mega-gourd, the second heaviest pumpkin EVER grown worldwide at today’s Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay CA.
Joel Holland from Sumner, WA, smashed the American record at today’s 44th Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off with his 2,363-pound giant that clobbered the formidable field of gourd growing greats in the west coast pumpkin mecca of Half Moon Bay CA. The grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top four pumpkins from the weigh-off, will be on display at the world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival on October 14-15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Photo: Bradley Wittke, Miramar Events
See the beautiful beast (and four heaviest overall) this weekend at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival.
Nine pumpkins weighed in at over 1,100 pounds at this year's event. Complete results below.
Holland, now a 7-time winner at Half Moon Bay, won $16,541 ($7 per pound) plus Half Moon Bay’s coveted “Mel Mello Sr. Grand Champion Green Jacket” and a “starring role” in this weekend’s Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival where his mighty gourd will be on display along with the top four overall from the weigh-off.
Last year's champion grower Cindy Tobeck of Olympia WA was second with a 2,002 pounder and won $2,000. Jeff Uhlmeyer of Tumwater WA was third with a 1,927 pounder and received $1,500.
2017 Pumpkin Weigh Off Winner Joel Holland with his 2,363 lb winning gourd
George Armanino of Pescadero CA won Biggest Coastside Pumpkin at 881 pounds and received $500.
The audience-judged Most Beautiful Pumpkin award went to Art Martinez of Fremont CA. He won $500.
Holland's grand champion mega-gourd (and the top four overall) will be proudly displayed at the world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, this weekend (Oct. 14-15 –– Saturday and Sunday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in Half Moon Bay, California.
2017 WEIGH-OFF RESULTS |
||||
Open Division |
||||
| PLACE | NAME | CITY/STATE | WEIGHT | PRIZE MONEY |
| 1st | Joel Holland | Sumner WA | 2,363 lbs | $16,541 |
| 2nd | Cindy Tobeck | Olympia WA | 2,002 lbs | $2,000 |
| 3rd | Jeff Uhlmeyer | Tumwater WA | 1,927 lbs | $1,500 |
| 4th | Steve Daletas | Pleasant HIll OR | 1,749 lbs | $1,000 |
| 5th | Gary Miller | Napa CA | 1,742 lbs | $500 |
| 6th | Jim Sherwood | Mulino OR | 1,665 lbs | $500 |
| 7th | Leanardo Urena | Napa CA | 1,610 lbs | $500 |
| 8th | John Hawkley | Napa CA | 1,327 lbs | $500 |
| 9th | James Martin | Castro Valley CA | 1,136 lbs | $500 |
| 10th | Lupe Carillo | Aptos CA | 883 lbs | $500 |
| 11th | George Armanino | Pescadero CA | 881 lbs | $100 |
| 12th | Farmer John | Half Moon Bay CA | 695 lbs | $100 |
| 13th | Tom Bedecarre | Woodside CA | 638 lbs | $100 |
| 14th | Bonnie Armanino | Pescadero CA | 568 lbs | $100 |
| 15th | Eda Muller | Half Moon Bay CA | 547 lbs | $100 |
| 16th | Belle Bramer | Los Altos CA | 508 lbs | $100 |
| 17th | Art Martinez | Fremont CA | 429 lbs | $100 |
| 18th | Jeff Johnson | Castroville CA | 418 lbs | $100 |
| 19th | Suzanne Kasso | Los Altos CA | 369 lbs | $100 |
| 20th | John Szabo | Half Moon Bay CA | 208 lbs | $100 |
Special Prizes |
||||
Biggest from State of California |
||||
| 1st | Gary Miller | Napa CA | 1,742 lbs. | $1,000 |
Biggest from the Coastside |
||||
| 1st | George Armanino | Pescadero CA | 881 lbs. | $500 |
| 2nd | Farmer John | Half Moon Bay CA | 695 lbs. | $250 |
| 3rd | Bonnie Armanino | Pescadero CA | 568 lbs. | $100 |
Most Beautiful Pumpkin/Howard Dill Award
|
||||
| 1st | Art Martinez | Fremont CA | 429 lbs. | $500 |