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Cornelius, Oregon

Is there any interest in a "Gentleman's" (and Gentlewomen) worldwide weighoff? Here is the general idea...
1. Open to anyone
2. Take an average of top three OFFICIAL (standard GPC rules apply) and undamaged fruit grown by the grower in 2009.
3. Date of the weigh in does not matter as long as it is in 2009, and at an official weighoff. That way southern hemipshere growers can participate.
4. No cash as an entry fee, rather items from local areas (for instance, 5 pounds of hazelnuts from Canby Oregon) The combined 'entry fee's' are shipped to the winner at the end of 2009. Winner take all!!!
5. Color is not considered, if you grow a 1700 pound greenie it counts.

I am sure other 'rules' would need to be added, but I was curious to see if this has an interest to growers before I pursued it any further. Thoughts, Ideas?

The Pumpkinguru

1/14/2009 3:33:52 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

You could count me in if I had room for more than one plant...lol

1/14/2009 3:54:13 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

IN! You will get a genuine set of handmade punkinNsquash Christmas Ornaments made locally... from here in Okie (nobody wants a tumbleweed, k?)

1/14/2009 4:25:42 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Sounds like fun to me.

1/14/2009 5:14:59 PM

Goffstown,nh

I'm in for NH... A NH granite table piece will be donated by me, sounds like great fun!

1/14/2009 6:52:53 PM

Walton N.y.

deb and i would like to join in and would put up a years membership to the ny club

1/14/2009 7:07:01 PM

Cornelius, Oregon

How about heaviest official fruit, with a catch...
When we get this going very soon if we do) we guess the top weight we will each grow and whoever is closest to that weight is the winner. That way everyone has a chance at winning, not just the heavy hitters with 1500 pounders.
Any Thoughts, please speak up.

1/14/2009 7:08:47 PM

Cornelius, Oregon

Each person guesses their own top weight.

1/14/2009 7:09:26 PM

Springfield, Missouri

How are these "guesses" going to be recorded, that’s a big job to do for the whole world of AG growers, then someone has to store them and then go over everyone’s guesses and actual weights, sounds like a big job. A better way to ensure that not only the heavy hitters win is to split it up into brackets, start off where you think you should be then the top 10 to 25 move up and the bottom 10 to 25 go down, depending on how many people participate, have like 4 to 5 brackets, junior, armature, skilled, pro, just a thought.

oh, make rules like if you have ever grown over such a weight you can no longer enter a certain bracket, and the higher up you go entry fee gets a little higher. I really think this is a good way to pull people in and give them more of an incentive to try to get their best. Will defiantly help this sport excel.

700 and under Junior, 701 to 1000 Armature, 1001 to 1350 Skilled, 1351 and up Pro, more or less, someone else can figure it out but there need to be enough people in each bracket to compete with and raise money from that bracket.

1/14/2009 10:35:32 PM

Springfield, Missouri

Brent i know you are a squash guy, I think that the squash just need a little jump start, have a squash division, anyone can enter, if someone grows a bigger squash than the largest pumpkin in the "Skilled" division they get an extra % of money, I know these squashes can get bigger than what they are. Just to make it more fun, the extra money they get can be stolen from the "Skilled" division and vise versa.

so from lowest to highest pay out, juniors, amature, ( skilled and squash can fight over it), Pro.

1/14/2009 10:46:49 PM

Springfield, Missouri

Yes I would be interested in doing something like this, I would even enjoy jumping in and helping this get going it’s a great idea, Email me if you would like [email protected]

1/14/2009 10:51:29 PM

San Diego

sounds good, but southern growers cannot compete with northen grower's weights. There should be a way to even out the field depending on how far south you are. A 1000 lb pumpkin in sa ndiego is like a 1500 lber up north.

1/15/2009 12:42:43 AM

Indiana

If I remember right Chris Anderson grew a 977 back when that really meant something. Didn't the 1997 best come out of southern california?

1/15/2009 2:18:47 AM

South Finland

So really worldwide or North American wide? ;)

Sounds like a good idea and fun too ;)

Okie, tumbleweeds? This time anything else than pics are good choice, lol.

I can send salmiakki or anything Finnish to winner ;)

1/15/2009 3:43:07 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Actually I think I'd send two packs of our famous No Mans Land Beef Jerky, made in town. It's good stuff if you can afford it. :)

1/15/2009 6:54:19 AM

Springfield, Missouri

Duster, I think the brackets would even everything out, im from southern Missouri, our state record was broken by 350 pounds this year with a 1244 pound pumpkin, look at the Kentucky guys they are getting some bigones too, anything is possible. If you havent got over 1000 dont enter one of the higher brackets

1/15/2009 8:21:38 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Sounds like it could be fun. I'm in if it gets started. Put us down in the Junior section.

Phil

1/15/2009 8:33:37 AM

Anacortes, WA

Maybe it could be closest to a predetermined weight. Divisions could be every 100 lb. or every 200 lb. Like closest to 600 lb. and closest to 800 lb. etc. Although I do like the idea of closest to a weight determined by each individual grower before the season starts.

1/15/2009 11:07:39 AM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

Is there any handicap points for someone in say Florida as to someone in New York. OR elevation.

1/15/2009 11:25:29 AM

Carrollton, Ga.

if you do like brett said and guess your own top weight that would make it fair no matter where you are from.

Dude

JN 3:16

1/15/2009 12:12:18 PM

Springfield, Missouri

If divisions were to be formed then you would not need a handicap because you would be placed with people who grow pumpkins in the same weight range as you, handicaps are silly im my opinion you grow what you grow and if you want to blame the conditions then move some where else. I live in southern missouri,SVB and every other kind of bug, 100 temps for a good two weeks, rocks, clay, if its not flooding its a desert, just make the best of what you have.

Guessing is fine however it is going to be a gigantic task for some one to keep track of names what their guess is and what the actuall weight was, calculate it then compare the data, would be much easyier to put people in divisions and then just look to see who grew the largest in that division.

1/15/2009 6:04:17 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Started sorta simple, and now seems "WAY" complicated. Kudo's to the guru for the attempt. Great attempt, and would gladly try to participate, under your original set of ideas.
PS..my entry "fee" would be...2 pints of fresh Strawberry preserves, and 6 bulbs of fresh "home grown" garlic!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...I will guess that I grow a pkn 500#'s or more!!

1/15/2009 6:24:54 PM

Mill Creek West by god Virginia

he he wayne better grow you a slunger or you will be proud owner of skunk capp for 2nd year running! ps did you get my last email first 2 got kicked back to me

1/15/2009 8:32:34 PM

San Diego

Chris Anderson's 977 was grown in Moraga CA, by Oakland, not southern california. As far as I know, the 1000 lb mark has not been broken in southern california. Anyway, if there are brackets, it is fair and sounds fun.

1/15/2009 11:50:49 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

The option of trying to guess your own weight, means you can thus adjust or handicap yourself to suit. Between the soil, the weather, and the luck of your seed, until it bends the scale you have no idea and that's about the fairest; guess your own, closest wins. See thread farther up for that option.....

1/16/2009 10:35:27 AM

Anacortes, WA

Regarding growing in Southern California...I know that Monrovia (near Pasadena) is not as far south as San Diego but is still considered Southern California. Michelle Lofthouse grew 1376 in 2007 and 1164.5 in 2008.

1/16/2009 2:34:10 PM

San Diego

Dick, those are some big fruit! I guess all the action is up in the Los angeles area. I never get to hear any news down here:)

1/16/2009 4:49:36 PM