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Travis Gienger, a horticulture teacher from Anoka, Minnesota, secured his fifth victory at the annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off with a giant gourd named Rocky that weighed 2,389 pounds. The Associated Press reported that Gienger transported the pumpkin across the country to the Half Moon Bay event south of San Francisco, where he collected more than $21,000 in prize money after outperforming dozens of other competitors. He had missed the previous edition after his growing pumpkin split, leading him to choose the Rocky name in reference to the cinematic boxer’s comeback story. Gienger stated that securing a fifth championship was the objective for the trip.
According to FOX 9, Gienger’s prior winning entries included a 2,471-pound pumpkin in 2024, a then-record 2,749-pound specimen in 2023, a 2,560-pound gourd in 2022 and a 2,350-pound one in 2020. One of those champions was later carved into the world’s largest jack-o’-lantern. The 2026 contest occurred against a backdrop of rapidly escalating maximum sizes in the giant pumpkin community, with the Minnesota grower having previously held the global benchmark himself.
A potential new world record of 3,156 pounds was set by Ron Wallace of Rhode Island days earlier at a New England event, an achievement reported by the Associated Press that has yet to receive final certification from the Guinness Book of World Records. That mark would eclipse the verified record of 2,857 pounds established by British grower Ian Paton only weeks before on England’s south coast. Gienger expressed respect for the Rhode Island result while indicating his immediate focus had been reclaiming the California crown.
Guinness World Records documentation shows that Paton’s 2026 pumpkin, nicknamed Bagheera, surpassed the previous joint effort by him and his twin brother the year before as well as Gienger’s 2023 standard. The British grower dedicated up to six hours daily to the plant, supplying around 130 gallons of water. Such intensive cultivation methods have become standard among top competitors seeking incremental gains in size.
The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, which oversees many weigh-offs, has recorded steady increases in both participation and average weights across North America and Europe in recent years. Gienger told the BBC he would love to break the world record for a second time and plans to experiment with climate-controlled growing environments like those employed by Wallace. These approaches help mitigate the impact of variable weather conditions that often challenge outdoor cultivation in northern states.
The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off has run for more than five decades, drawing international attention and substantial prize funds that reflect growing spectator interest. Associated Press coverage noted that at least 30 growers entered the 2026 edition, continuing a trend of expanding competition fields. Organizers have highlighted how shared knowledge within the grower network has accelerated progress toward heavier specimens.
With records now approaching or exceeding 3,000 pounds, veteran participants like Gienger continue refining techniques to push agricultural boundaries further. Data from recent contests compiled by regional pumpkin grower associations illustrate the shift toward specialized nutrition, precise environmental controls and community collaboration. Gienger’s repeated success underscores the blend of science, perseverance and innovation required in this competitive field.
