19 October 2023
A century from now Travis Gienger could be presumed to be a folklore legend like Paul Bunyan.
Hailing from the Halloween Capital of the World, hauling his world record pumpkin to the Pumpkin Capital of the World, and afterwards he brought the pumpkin home to be in the World’s Largest Halloween parade and be carved at the Mall of America.
Gienger set a world record this month for the heaviest pumpkin, after growing a giant one named Michael Jordan. From Anoka, Minnesota, Gienger won the 50th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California. That makes it his third win in the last four years at the competition considered to be the Super Bowl of pumpkins.
The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth confirmed that Gienger’s 2,749-pound gourd set a new world record for the heaviest pumpkin, and it surpassed the previous record of 2,702 lb grown by Stefano Cutrupi of Italy.
The world record for heaviest gourds have been grown in recent years in Europe, inside climate-controlled greenhouses. Gienger grows his pumpkins in his backyard.
“It hasn’t happened here in 10 years,” Gienger said of the new world record. “It’s been struck overseas in climate controlled greenhouses, so to do it outside, in Minnesota, is pretty cool.”
The moment
If you think pumpkin weigh-offs can’t be entertaining then you haven’t seen one, and Gienger’s weigh-off moment is worth a watch. Described in a story by the Los Angeles Times:
“The announcer punched into the air and yelled into the microphone, “Oh my god, Half Moon Bay is in the record book! That’s a world record!” as the song “We Are the Champions” by Queen began blasting in the background.”
The prize package
Gienger won $24,741 in per-pound prize money plus the difference, to get to a total of $30,000, because he broke the world record. And that’s not all!
He also got the Pumpkin King Champions Ring, a Mel Mello Sr. Grand Champion Growers Jacket, two nights at The Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, and a starring role in the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival and Great Pumpkin Parade.
What he learned from previous years of winning such a big event, especially in California, was that he’d become a celebrity (again) to news outlets across the world for the days and weeks to come.
“The hardest thing was the dang time zones,” he said of the media interviews. “I’m out in California but then it’s like, okay, you’re in Minnesota, but then it was like the U.K., Ireland, Australia, India, and I’m like what time is it there again?”
Not all interviews went as well as his with Agweek, he said.
“A couple interviews, they were so early that I did one and went back to bed, and then I forgot about the others,” he said. “So I kind of botched that.”
The drive
The drive back home from California had a whole different vibe than the trip out for the Gienger crew, which included him and his wife, Megan, and their daughter, Lily. A high-wire cross country trek for sure, but Gienger’s a professional.
“This is our third rodeo,” he said of the drive.
Travis rode passenger seat as they drove through Utah on Oct. 16 on their way back home, so he could catch up on interviews. He described the much different 35-hour drive from Minnesota to Half Moon Bay a week prior to then. It only took them 33 hours this year, he said casually.
“Pretty good drive out,” Gienger said. “We were dodging elk and San Fransisco traffic, and mountains. I compare it to driving in the winter with a snowstorm, because you got a pumpkin in the back one that we didn’t know then was worth 30 grand.”
The seeds
After a big, record-breaking pumpkin year, Gienger transitions to seed distributor. Seeds from his “Maverick” pumpkin, which won top prize in 2022 (2,560 pounds) and broke the U.S. record, resulted in some of the heaviest weighed pumpkins of this year.
He sold seeds from Maverick to various clubs and individual growers, and donated some to schools, organizations and for things like auctions and other events.
“Out of those 100 to 200 seeds I sent worldwide, I would say only 10 were grown,” Gienger said of the Maverick seeds. “Which is crazy to me, to think about.”
That’s because four out those 10 weighed over 2,000 pounds. Three were over 2,230 pounds.
“I still have some seeds that will go to clubs and auctions, but then the others will get sold,” he said of the remaining Maverick seeds, which won’t be going for last year’s price anymore. “Now it’s proven, so that seed is highly sought after.”
The seeds from Michael Jordan he’s not sure about selling quite yet because it hasn’t been cut open. There can be upwards of 1,000 seeds inside of a pumpkin.
As always, the goal for next year is to get bigger.
“I think we can get 3,000 pounds,” he said.
DATES TO SEE THE WORLD CHAMPION
On Oct. 20-22, the pumpkin will be at Pinehaven Farm in Wyoming, Minnesota. Oct. 25 it will be at Neighborhood Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in Foley, Minnesota. Oct. 28 is an appearance Gienger is most looking forward to, at the Anoka Halloween Parade, touted as the largest Halloween parade in the world. And finally from November 2-11, it will be at the Mall of America where it will be carved by Guinness World Record pumpkin carver, Eric Jones]]>