Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 23 Entries. Sunday, September 25 View Page First entry for 2016. Recapping the Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival. Past winners of the watermelon competition: HC Williams, Larry Boyette, Todd Dawson and Chris Kent. Sunday, September 25 View Page Owen Meck with his and his father's (Elijah) 170 watermelon. Nice melon for a first attempt. Sunday, September 25 View Page Larry Boyette, last year's champ finished third with his 224 melon. Sunday, September 25 View Page Chris Kent with his second place 266. Chris Kent has won Yadkin Valley twice before, one year with a WR 291. I always enjoy seeing Chris arrive with his monster melons in a Chevy Aveo. Sunday, September 25 View Page Todd Dawson, our 2016 champ with his 273 winner. Todd had also won Yadkin Valley once before with a 282, that was the largest in the world that year. Sunday, September 25 View Page Gregory Epperson, first year grower. He placed tenth. Seemed like a heck of a nice guy. I afraid he's caught the bug. Poor guy; he has no idea what's about to hit him. Sunday, September 25 View Page Susie Zuerner with her 433. We gave her a break from the fork lift long enough to weigh her pumpkin. Sunday, September 25 View Page Matt Craps (Sparcmat) with his 636 that was taping in the 400's. GPC site listed it as 35% heavy. Grown from the 1692 McMullen. It was DQed due to a pinhole through to the cavity. We feel your heartbreak Matt, but still an amazingly heavy to the chart pumpkin. I think I know somebody that will be growing the 1692 again. Sunday, September 25 View Page Gavin Hartman with his 503 Howard Dill Award winner. It was a beautiful reddish orange. Sunday, September 25 View Page My brother, Bruce and me with our 588. She went 9% heavy, which was one of the few pleasant surprises of this season. Grown from the 1533 Haist. Sunday, September 25 View Page Michael Hefner with his third place 611. He is becoming a regular at Yadkin Valley. Sunday, September 25 View Page Jill Smith with her second place 692. She grows in the mountains of NC and usually has a competitive entry for Yadkin Valley. Sunday, September 25 View Page Artie Phillips and his sons with their 726 winner. It was grown from the 813 Lovelace which averages 18% heavy. A seed to consider if you want heavy to the chart. Sunday, September 25 View Page Top ten for Yadkin Valley 2016. The weights were way off this year, but it was a war of attrition with the extreme heat and drought taking it's toll. Congratulations everyone. Thanks to everyone who brought their fruit and to the ones who worked to make this weigh-off happen: Sam, Brad, Jessie, Susie, Misty and Natalie. Tuesday, October 11 View Page The top eight pumpkins at the NC State Fair. Congrats all. Tuesday, October 11 View Page The top ten watermelons. Congrats Chris Kent on the biggest in the world this year, 318.5. Tuesday, October 11 View Page Top eight pumpkin growers. Tuesday, October 11 View Page Top ten watermelon growers. Tuesday, October 11 View Page Andy and Tim Wolf with their winning 1090 pumpkin. Congratulations. Tuesday, October 11 View Page Chris Kent with his 318.5 lb HAWG. Third all time, and biggest this year. She looked like a 55 gallon drum turned on its side. Tuesday, October 11 View Page Larry Boyette presenting the GWG trophy to Chris. Tuesday, October 11 View Page H C Williams with his HE Award winner. Tuesday, October 11 View Page Jeremy Terry had a beauty at 290. He had Chris Kent sweating for a few minutes.