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Eugene,OR

What would it take for a giant pumpkin contest to be so attractive that the top 5-8 (or more) of the biggest pumpkins in North America (or even the world) show up to duke it out? What are your thoughts on how much prize money it would take and how deep it would need to pay out? Where would it need to be located? When should it be held? Would it need guaranteed money for any pumpkin over a certain weight, maybe 2400 pounds? What about appearance money & travel reimbursement? What about some sort of a team format? What are your thoughts? If we don’t think it, it certainly will never happen. Who knows, if we do think it then there may be somebody out there who just might be willing and able to make it happen.

11/1/2026 12:03:18 PM

Grittyville, WA

I think halfmoon bay is doing everything they can and bishops farm's national pumpkin contest is trying to fill that role too? Ps seems like no matter what, pumpkin racing or boating events seem destined to be more popular than pumpkin weighing events.

11/1/2026 12:24:14 PM

Eugene,OR

I’m not saying that there are not already great contests out there. I’m talking about a contest that anyone with a contender wouldn’t have to think twice about being part of. For me an important element would be that I could still be better off if I placed 10th at the big contest (after expenses) than I would have been if I had won one of the existing big regional contests. A good example is my going to Carpinitos and winning $9K for 1st rather than going to Half Moon Bay and winning $3K for 2nd.

11/1/2026 12:34:46 PM

Eugene,OR

I’ll get things started. Hopefully others will add their thoughts. Here it is: $165,500 prize purse. 1st-$50,000, 2nd-$25,000, 3rd-$20,000, 4th-$15,000, 5th-$12,500, 6th-$10,000, 7th-$9,000, 8th-$8,500, 9th-$8,000, 10th-$7,500. If you don’t weigh over 2,000 pounds you do not qualify for prize money. Plus $2500 if you show up and don’t place in the top 10 and weigh over 2,300 pounds. Located in Kansas City on the second weekend of October.

[Last edit: 11/01/26 1:12:58 PM]

11/1/2026 1:12:06 PM

Connecticut, USA

That would be amazing! Clearly we are going to need some top tier sponsors like Halfmoon Bay has with Safeway. I think you are in the ball park for how much it would take Russ.

Maybe an insurance policy type of thing for $100K for a new WR?

11/1/2026 1:44:32 PM

Hawesville, ky

You spelled kentucky wrong Russ. Kansas City doesnt have BBQ half as good as mine.

11/1/2026 1:55:49 PM

Eugene,OR

Nick, you could definitely cater the bbq! Maybe there could be a bbq contest to go along with it. Weighoffs aren’t necessarily the most exciting thing in the world to watch. Added events& entertainment is a fantastic idea. It works for the Savannah Bananas. Heck, they are selling out MLB parks & have over 2 million people on their waiting list for tickets. I think you are on the right track Mr. McCaslin, as long as Sadie comes along & is part of the Show!

11/1/2026 2:04:05 PM

Sonoma County, CA

I agree—your financial estimate for the growers is in the ballpark. However, to realize a vision like this, we also need to consider the advertiser's perspective. For them, value is measured in impressions, clicks, and brand engagement. HMB has always done a great job of this by bringing in high-profile national news outlets, transforming a local family-farmer event into something much bigger. I'm not a marketing person but I think that kind of expanded reach is the blueprint needed.

11/1/2026 2:13:39 PM

Eugene,OR

Brandon, I agree. It has to work for the sponsor. But trust me, there are ways to make it work. We are in a new age of technology. Our world is changing. The Industrial Revolution changed the world. We are on the cusp of another revolution as I am sure you are very in touch with as an engineer working for Rivian. There couldn’t be a better time for something like this. We just need to figure out what we can do to make something so incredible that everyone will want a piece of it.

[Last edit: 11/01/26 4:00:09 PM]

11/1/2026 3:48:00 PM

Eugene,OR

Come on growers, share your thoughts!

11/1/2026 3:49:39 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I like the idea Russ!!! You would have to find one hell of a sponsor with very deep pockets! Hell somewhere in Kansas City, LA New York,,,, somewhere that people know about. The bigger the prize money the bigger the more attention it would get for sure. It would be something that would have to start in April, people could start placing bets then huge prize money involved. 100K minuminum for 1st place if not more and go from there!
I'd love to hear what others think.

11/1/2026 3:59:52 PM

Willows, CA

Russ, I think its a great idea and your money estimates very well could make it happen. Just need those big sponsors like Raising Canes and others. Wish I had a list of those likely sponsors...

[Last edit: 11/01/26 4:53:40 PM]

11/1/2026 4:13:16 PM

Ma

Correct me if im wrong but had the new WR been weighed at the national pumpkin weigh off in CA it would have won $75000?

11/1/2026 6:24:56 PM

Ma

Oh wait plus $37500 so a total of $112,500?

11/1/2026 6:47:49 PM

Penryn California

It's an interesting idea. The downside is taking entries away from the numerous local weighoffs. They would be relegated to some sort of secondary contests. Local Sponsors like the attraction of big pumpkins coming to their sites. You need to gauge the impact on local weighoffs of preempting their contests. It's very tough to raise the kind of money you're talking about here but maybe the large gardening chains and suppliers might be interested in the idea. Getting financial commitments comes first. Maybe put together an advertising/sponsor pack and test the waters. Growers follow the money so that comes first.

11/1/2026 8:05:23 PM

Penryn California

An additional thought...is this Pumpkin growing hobby/sport more about winning money or about the thrill of besting Mother Nature to achieve gigantic results? The 3156 could have won at least $75,000 at the Hard Rock but decided loyalty and local connections were more important. I salute him for that commitment. Maybe that's more what pumpkin growing is about.

11/1/2026 8:12:20 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

I was pondering this very same idea in this space at least 15 years ago. At the time I thought, why not a super weighoff in the center of the country, and it would be televised by, I don't know... ESPN? They do televise a hot dog eating contest, why not us? But the cable TV industry has changed dramatically since then. Any of those channels that are still alive are very focused. Saturdays in the fall are dominated by college football. Even the World Series has to tip-toe around the football schedule. Our Logan weighoff is actually a fall festival attracting 20K+ people, but we have to move our weighoff if the local university is having the homecoming game the same day.

My other point has been touched on here, that being if you want to attact a full slate of growers capable of going 2500 to 3200, the prize structure would need to be spread out more and not the vast majority going to the top grower.

Sometimes I look at Half Moon Bay and realize that if I went there, little old me could be in the top ten in some years. Then you look at 10th place not covering travel costs, and it becomes much more attractive to support your local weighoff.

[Last edit: 11/01/26 8:38:12 PM]

11/1/2026 8:34:53 PM

Eugene,OR

If there is one thing I have learned by going to giant pumpkin contests is that a 2000 pound pumpkin looks huge unless it is sitting next to a 2500 pound pumpkin. Another thing I have learned is that if a grower has a really big pumpkin and does not take it to their local/regional contest, then a different grower has the opportunity to win that contest. I’ve seen this happen at Bauman’s. A year ago Jon & Annie Sestak won Baumans with an 1800 pound pumpkin because a big one from our area went down to win at Hard Rock. The Sestaks were fired up, and the next thing you knew they built a greenhouse, and grew a 2200 pounder thus year. Heck, Jon is president of our club now. I think this only provides opportunity at all levels.

[Last edit: 11/01/26 9:37:23 PM]

11/1/2026 9:29:32 PM

Eugene,OR

Last year when Travis didn’t have one to take to Half Moon Bay, Brandon Dawson stepped up to win HMB with a monster. There is no shame in that! We need more good, young growers like Brandon.

11/1/2026 9:36:00 PM

Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, Quebec, Canada

I thought that if the WR was weighed in HMB it would win $9 a pound ~29,000$ + 30000 for the wr

11/1/2026 9:58:35 PM

Grittyville, WA

I wish pumpkins was a sport like car racing. Have a pit crew and a lead driver and maybe some other teammates. And have it be a watchable televised event. Don't think the Penzoil or Valvoline is going to see the connection though. I wish hitting 3k would automatically inspire people to try for 4k. But it might take a lot of professionalism, incentive, or teamwork, for any growers to even hit 3k again... Fun to think about.

11/1/2026 11:18:25 PM

Grittyville, WA

The quest to beat the land speed record sort of resembles giant pumpkin growing. For better or worse!

11/1/2026 11:27:08 PM