Ontario grower's 1,711-pound pumpkin nearly snagged top prize at Pumpkinfest. Then he was disqualified
An Ontario farmer was disqualified from a giant pumpkin competition due to a small soft spot on his 1,711-pound entry. Despite the disqualification, the grower expressed no regrets about the effort put into the season.
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Highlights the strict adherence to quality standards in competitive agriculture and the dedication of hobbyist growers.
Instead he was disqualified from the giant vegetable weigh-off. The culprit? A soft spot.
Gigantic gourd smashes Manitoba's record for heaviest pumpkin
"About a week before I cut the stem, there was a tiny little soft spot on [the pumpkin] — and we're talking the size of a loonie," Warner told As It Happens guest host John Northcott.
He knew the competition had strict rules about the condition of the entries. But Warner decided to make the nine-hour drive to the fair anyway, giant gourd in tow.
Judges of the Port Elgin Pumpkinfest said this soft spot disqualified Warner's giant pumpkin from winning the heaviest pumpkin contest. (Submitted by Jeff Warner)
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