CANFIELD, Ohio — The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers weighed the U.S. champion pumpkin at their October competition. The club’s 17th annual weigh-off was held at Parks Garden Center near Canfield, Ohio.
The new U.S. champions are Dave and Carol Stelts of Edinburg, Pa. Their pumpkin weighed 1807.5 pounds, the second heaviest ever recorded. The pumpkin was on display at the New York Botanical Gardens Oct. 19-23. Stelts had the world champion in 2000 at 1140 pounds.
Second place
Finishing second was Quinn Werner of Saegertown, Pa. at 1587.5 pounds. Jim Bok of Cecil, Ohio was third at 1463 pounds.
Mark Clementz of Holly, Mich. grew the world’s third largest watermelon at 260.5 pounds. Steve Razo of New Middletown, Ohio had the world’s third largest Connecticut field pumpkin at 150.5 pounds.
The club’s ten largest Atlantic Giant pumpkins averaged 1471 pounds. This is the fifth time in six years the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers have won the top 10 average award.
Dave Stelts is the president of the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth. This group oversees the 95 weigh-offs around the world. He and other Ohio Valley club members were featured in the October issue of Smithsonian Magazine
