Record-breaking pumpkin at 408kg sets new competition best as growers deliver a big year at weigh-in event

A record-breaking 408kg pumpkin has taken top honours at this years Lower Kalgan Pumpkin Festival weigh-in, setting a new competition benchmark and highlighting the strength of local growers.

The annual festival was cancelled due to poor weather conditions, but the weigh-in still went ahead at the weekend and drew strong competition.

Grower Kelsey Freemantle produced the winning giant, which organisers said was the heaviest pumpkin recorded in the competition’s history.

The event attracted 33 entrants with strong competition across senior and junior categories.

Amarah Freemantle finished just behind in second place with a 406kg pumpkin, only 2kg short of the winning weight, while Trevor Hanning placed third with 317kg.

In the junior section, Tanayah Bailey took first place with 126.4kg, followed by Lucy Lockhart with 82kg and Thea Chant in third at 64.8kg.

Event committee organiser, Ainslie Mason said it was upsetting the pumpkin festival had to be cancelled.

“It was devastating that it didn’t go ahead — it was a hard decision,” she said.

Ms Mason said it was a big competition and very impressive to see what people could produce.

“It’s been our biggest year for pumpkins,” she said.

“The heaviest pumpkin was pretty impressive.

“It was a close competition — second place was only 2kg off.

“It was amazing and so fun to watch those pumpkins come off the trailer — it was an impressive sight watching them unload.”

Ms Mason said Ms Freemantle’s pumpkin was the biggest they had ever seen, breaking her own previous record.

“Our competition has been running since 2013 and that’s our biggest pumpkin we’ve ever seen,” she said.

“She won the record in 2017 and she’s won it again and she’s just put in the application for the State record.”

Ms Freemantle said she was extremely happy with the win considering she was unsure of the growing season.

“I was pretty ecstatic,” she said.

“I germinated the seeds back in September last year, so all up its been just under six months.

“I didn’t think I was going to have a very good growing season, so I was pretty happy at the end to see what it came in at.”

She said the key to growing a good pumpkin was lots of water.

“You become a little bit of a mad scientist trying to figure out things that work for you,” she said.

“But it’s lots and lots of water especially through the time of rapid growth where they can put on 15 to 20kg a day.”

Ms Freemantle said she had applied to go for the State pumpkin record.

“It’s pretty awesome, I’ve sent the paperwork off for the State record,” she said.

Due to the event cancellation and the weigh-in running across two days, the pumpkin festival committee have decided to do a presentation and soup evening on May 16.