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Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

OK we have debated this in chat as to the Criteria for choosing the award
GPC Rules State:
Howard Dill award- This award will be given to the grower of the prettiest, symmetric, orange or orange red pumpkin at each site. How the winner is decided based on this description well be up to each site coordinator.

9/19/2012 1:16:09 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

This is a timely post as we just had a situation at a weigh-off last weekend where some growers, myself included, felt that a different pumpkin should have won the HD Award than the one that was chosen. The winner was chosen by the emcee of the event who knows as much about the HD Award as I do about open heart surgery (in other words, nothing). It is a prestigious award that many growers go for, and I personally feel the selection of the winner should be more standardized. What we do in Doylestown is give every grower who enters a pumpkin in the competition one vote for the Howard Dill Award. This at least assures that people are voting who know something about the award.

9/19/2012 2:11:55 PM

Claysburg , PA

The Howard Dill Award to me is one of the highest honors a pumpkin grower can get. We have won several and it is a high.

HD award judging should be a combination of shape , color and size. Judges should be growers/site rep, site coordinator .

9/19/2012 2:45:44 PM

Deepwoods

if it isnt voted on by growers the day of the contest its an inside deal. went to a weighoff last year where the HD winner was on display with bales of hay and mums far away from all the other entries before anyone even arrived.......wont go there again.......

9/19/2012 2:49:19 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Hats off to Curt for staying cool in light of the decision last week. I myself was beside myself and very upset but managed not to voice my opinion. It would not have come out right at the time. I am sure the winner of the award would agree with us too.

In regards to Doylestown, I would like to take it a notch further this year and in addition to each grower with an entry getting one vote, we need to stipulate that you cannot vote for your own entry.

9/19/2012 3:00:51 PM

Johnston, Iowa

Agree with pumpkin Jesus and Orangeneck. A vote by growers in an idea who's time has come. Further calling this award the "The Howard Dill Award" instead of every variation of "The Prettiest Pumpkin" would be another good step.

9/19/2012 3:14:54 PM

NILES , CALIF

Hi;
I agree the howard dill should be voted on by the growers;
not the audience or the mc;
Here in the calif bayarea, the audience cheers; if
you bring enough friends with you, the loudest cheer wins?
I thought you had to be at least a certain weight to
enter your pumpkin in a howard dill?

There needs to be a major change on selecting a howard
dill;so all the rules on selection are the same for all the locations.
criteria to get an award

9/19/2012 3:19:23 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I was wondering about the weight criteria as well. It seems like a 500 pound minimum was thrown around before somewhere.

9/19/2012 4:18:25 PM

Claysburg , PA

Yes , Ned some weigh offs have 500 min and some don`t . I am glad some don`t because we won`t have anything .

9/19/2012 4:46:14 PM

Centennial, Co.

At weigh off last year here in Co., the best looking pumpkin, color, everything, weighed close to 200, but needed that 500 lb limit. Did not win. It was beautiful.

9/19/2012 5:45:23 PM

Centennial, Co.

I have a 300 pounder that is gorgeous, but a bit skinny in the middle, but would like it to be a contender. Can't do it here.

9/19/2012 5:46:38 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Nukid we look for larger pumpkins to have a higher weight (point) value for the Howard Dill award, so YES a 500 pounder will score more for the award than smaller ones, but weight is not the only factor, we are looking for pretty. Field Pumpkins do not qualify. We use club members now for the Howard Dill instead of spectators that do not know what to look for. ZZZZ

9/19/2012 6:36:29 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

I thought the guide lines said that the pumpkin had to be an AG and should be over 300 lbs. i was robbed in Southampton UK in 2008 whed the HD award went to w 20 lb pumpkin that was not an AG. Iwas also robbed of 3rd place when the same pair took 1st place and then 3rd with a second pumpkin.

9/19/2012 7:16:14 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

That's messed up Phil! Guess you didn't go back there again!

9/20/2012 9:34:53 AM

Albuquerque, NM

I have a pretty 300 pounder too... It's grown from a seed I purchased from Howard Dill. Weigh-0ff is still a month away but there's no way it will put on 200 more pounds. Her name is Hope and she has red freckles! She got stuck in a hail storm and has a few scars but I think it just makes her more beautiful for surviving the experience!

9/20/2012 9:57:20 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Everyone come on down to doylestown sept 29. There is no minimum size criteria, all the growers get a vote, AND we pay $500 to the Howard dill winner in addition to the plaque.

9/20/2012 12:57:54 PM

Massachusetts

did you hear that norm???

9/20/2012 2:09:09 PM

Wi

I heard the criteria in Chippewa falls was over 1200? Is that correct?

9/20/2012 5:13:56 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

If we have two pumpkins tied for the Howard Dill...one iZ 500 lbs, the other 250.... 500 lbs gets the nod. Our thinking iZ itZ the bigger they are, the harder they are to grow.

9/20/2012 5:15:09 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I agree with that philosophy Wiz. Kevin Snyder always told me, bigger pumpkins, bigger problems. Boy is he right. This would only apply if 2 pumpkins receive an equal number of votes at doylestown.

9/20/2012 5:27:44 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Give or take a few pounds Chris

9/20/2012 8:13:49 PM

Johnston, R.I.

i heard that scott

9/21/2012 7:24:07 AM

Rhode Island

UNFORTUNATELY IF YOU POLED A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND GAVE THEN FOUR PRETTY PUMPKINS TO CHOOSE FROM NOT ALL WOULD AGREE.

THE HOWARD DILL AWARD IS ALL ABOUT HONORING "THE MAN" FIRST,THE GROWER SECOND. AT LEAST THATS THE WAY I SEE IT.

HAVING SAID THIS I ALSO THINK THAT WITHIN REASON ANY GROWER WHO BRINGS OR BREEDS HIS PUMPKINS FOR COLOR AND SHAPE DESERVES MORE THAN ONE UNTRAINED EYE DECIDING WHO SHOULD BE HONORED WITH THIS AWARD.

VOTING TAKES TIME AND IN MANY CASE THE LARGER WEIGH-OFFS DONT HAVE THAT LUXURY.
SO,HERE IN THE SNGPG WE APPOINT A FIVE MEMBER PANEL OF GROWERS TO REVIEW AND DECIDE WHO GETS THE AWARD.

PAP

9/21/2012 9:13:12 AM