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Minnesota horticulture teacher wins Pumpkin weigh-Off for fourth consecutive year

Published October 20th, 2024 - 09:14 GMT

Travis Gienger, a horticulture teacher from Anoka, Minnesota, maintained his reign as champion at the 51st World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California

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Gienger's massive 2,471-pound (1,121-kilogram) pumpkin secured him the top prize for the fourth year in a row, edging out his closest competitor by just 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) (photo by afp).

Gienger's massive 2,471-pound (1,121-kilogram) pumpkin secured him the top prize for the fourth year in a row, edging out his closest competitor by just 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) (photo by afp).

Despite falling short of the world record he set last year with a 2,749-pound (1,247-kilogram) gourd, Gienger, 44, expressed pride in his victory, remarking on the challenging weather conditions. A cold fall with record-breaking rain made it difficult to achieve optimal growth, but his focus on healthy soil and well-fed plants paid off in the end.(photo by afp).

Despite falling short of the world record he set last year with a 2,749-pound (1,247-kilogram) gourd, Gienger, 44, expressed pride in his victory, remarking on the challenging weather conditions. A cold fall with record-breaking rain made it difficult to achieve optimal growth, but his focus on healthy soil and well-fed plants paid off in the end.(photo by afp).

Gienger said: We had really tough weather, but somehow I kept working, I had to fight for this one, and we got it done. (photo by afp).

Gienger said: We had really tough weather, but somehow I kept working, I had to fight for this one, and we got it done. (photo by afp).

The competition, held south of San Francisco, saw other impressive pumpkins, including a 2,465-pound gourd from Brandon Dawson of Sonoma County and a 2,390-pound entry from Leonardo Urena of Napa (photo by afp).

The competition, held south of San Francisco, saw other impressive pumpkins, including a 2,465-pound gourd from Brandon Dawson of Sonoma County and a 2,390-pound entry from Leonardo Urena of Napa (photo by afp).

Gienger’s winning journey wasn’t just in the pumpkin patch—he and his family drove 35 hours to transport the gargantuan gourd to California. The next stop for the pumpkin will be Southern California, where it will be carved into a 3D display by professional sculptors at a Halloween event. (photo by afp).

Gienger’s winning journey wasn’t just in the pumpkin patch—he and his family drove 35 hours to transport the gargantuan gourd to California. The next stop for the pumpkin will be Southern California, where it will be carved into a 3D display by professional sculptors at a Halloween event. (photo by afp).

Teams carve a giant pumpkin to create a pirate boat during the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta in Goffstown, New Hampshire on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)

Teams carve a giant pumpkin to create a pirate boat during the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta in Goffstown, New Hampshire on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)

This handout photo obtained on October 10, 2023 shows the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off of the 2,749-pound (1247kg) champion pumpkin in Half Moon Bay, California, on October 9, 2023. This year’s record-setting giant pumpkin was grown by defending champion Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota. (Photo by Handout / Half Moon Bay’s World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off / AFP)

This handout photo obtained on October 10, 2023 shows the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off of the 2,749-pound (1247kg) champion pumpkin in Half Moon Bay, California, on October 9, 2023. This year’s record-setting giant pumpkin was grown by defending champion Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota. (Photo by Handout / Half Moon Bay’s World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off / AFP)

Gienger's massive 2,471-pound (1,121-kilogram) pumpkin secured him the top prize for the fourth year in a row, edging out his closest competitor by just 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) (photo by afp).
Despite falling short of the world record he set last year with a 2,749-pound (1,247-kilogram) gourd, Gienger, 44, expressed pride in his victory, remarking on the challenging weather conditions. A cold fall with record-breaking rain made it difficult to achieve optimal growth, but his focus on healthy soil and well-fed plants paid off in the end.(photo by afp).
Gienger said: We had really tough weather, but somehow I kept working, I had to fight for this one, and we got it done. (photo by afp).
The competition, held south of San Francisco, saw other impressive pumpkins, including a 2,465-pound gourd from Brandon Dawson of Sonoma County and a 2,390-pound entry from Leonardo Urena of Napa (photo by afp).
Gienger’s winning journey wasn’t just in the pumpkin patch—he and his family drove 35 hours to transport the gargantuan gourd to California. The next stop for the pumpkin will be Southern California, where it will be carved into a 3D display by professional sculptors at a Halloween event. (photo by afp).
Teams carve a giant pumpkin to create a pirate boat during the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta in Goffstown, New Hampshire on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)
This handout photo obtained on October 10, 2023 shows the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off of the 2,749-pound (1247kg) champion pumpkin in Half Moon Bay, California, on October 9, 2023. This year’s record-setting giant pumpkin was grown by defending champion Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota. (Photo by Handout / Half Moon Bay’s World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off / AFP)
Gienger's massive 2,471-pound (1,121-kilogram) pumpkin secured him the top prize for the fourth year in a row, edging out his closest competitor by just 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) (photo by afp).
Gienger's massive 2,471-pound (1,121-kilogram) pumpkin secured him the top prize for the fourth year in a row, edging out his closest competitor by just 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) (photo by afp).
Despite falling short of the world record he set last year with a 2,749-pound (1,247-kilogram) gourd, Gienger, 44, expressed pride in his victory, remarking on the challenging weather conditions. A cold fall with record-breaking rain made it difficult to achieve optimal growth, but his focus on healthy soil and well-fed plants paid off in the end.(photo by afp).
Despite falling short of the world record he set last year with a 2,749-pound (1,247-kilogram) gourd, Gienger, 44, expressed pride in his victory, remarking on the challenging weather conditions. A cold fall with record-breaking rain made it difficult to achieve optimal growth, but his focus on healthy soil and well-fed plants paid off in the end.(photo by afp).
Gienger said: We had really tough weather, but somehow I kept working, I had to fight for this one, and we got it done. (photo by afp).
Gienger said: We had really tough weather, but somehow I kept working, I had to fight for this one, and we got it done. (photo by afp).
The competition, held south of San Francisco, saw other impressive pumpkins, including a 2,465-pound gourd from Brandon Dawson of Sonoma County and a 2,390-pound entry from Leonardo Urena of Napa (photo by afp).
The competition, held south of San Francisco, saw other impressive pumpkins, including a 2,465-pound gourd from Brandon Dawson of Sonoma County and a 2,390-pound entry from Leonardo Urena of Napa (photo by afp).
Gienger’s winning journey wasn’t just in the pumpkin patch—he and his family drove 35 hours to transport the gargantuan gourd to California. The next stop for the pumpkin will be Southern California, where it will be carved into a 3D display by professional sculptors at a Halloween event. (photo by afp).
Gienger’s winning journey wasn’t just in the pumpkin patch—he and his family drove 35 hours to transport the gargantuan gourd to California. The next stop for the pumpkin will be Southern California, where it will be carved into a 3D display by professional sculptors at a Halloween event. (photo by afp).
Teams carve a giant pumpkin to create a pirate boat during the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta in Goffstown, New Hampshire on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)
Teams carve a giant pumpkin to create a pirate boat during the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta in Goffstown, New Hampshire on October 19, 2024. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)
This handout photo obtained on October 10, 2023 shows the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off of the 2,749-pound (1247kg) champion pumpkin in Half Moon Bay, California, on October 9, 2023. This year’s record-setting giant pumpkin was grown by defending champion Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota. (Photo by Handout / Half Moon Bay’s World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off / AFP)
This handout photo obtained on October 10, 2023 shows the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off of the 2,749-pound (1247kg) champion pumpkin in Half Moon Bay, California, on October 9, 2023. This year’s record-setting giant pumpkin was grown by defending champion Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota. (Photo by Handout / Half Moon Bay’s World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off / AFP)

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