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Brad,
Your wrong, you were there as a spectator not a
judge. No decision was needed the judges at the weigh made theirs. Nothing to do
with the IPGA. I don't understand how your credibilty would be question when it
wasn't your weigh off, but I see some growers are starting to question it now.
Your organization is not the governing body in Indiana. I think you should check
your State rules on State records.
drew
----- Original Message -----
From:
B*@aol.com
To: p*@hort.net
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 2:08
PM
Subject: Re: INDIANA STATE RECORD
Gentlemen,
First
of all. None of you making these comments as experienced as you may be
were there!!!! I was. I am also a proud board member of the
IPGA. I am also a good friend of Tom Beauty! Tom's effort in
growing this pumpkin was nothing short of incredible. There is no
doubting that. No one in Indiana has even come close to his achievement.
The only reason the at least 4 of the
5 members (The only other member is camping this week and cannot be reached
until Friday) have agreed to not recognize it as a state record is to maintain
the highest level of integrity as a group. So the rest of you understand
what happened, I have a description below of exactly how the events took place
last Saturday.
Last Saturday at Tom's
request we chose to load the pumpkin on the scale using the tarp instead of
our normal lifting device. Also at Tom's request, he wanted to lift the
pumpkin forward and the backward in order to remove the tarp. When we
lifted it forward the judges did their inspection of the bottom. At this
point it appeared to be sound. We then lifted it backward to remove the
remainder of the tarp. When we did so the pumpkin begin leaking large
amounts fluid (1 to 2 gallons approx.) while on the scale. The judges,
and I think rightly so, decided to award Tom first place because during their
final inspection they never saw a hole or leak. For the record, the
judges were a county extension agent and former president of Indiana Vegetable
Growers Assoc. Both were new to the world of giant pumpkins.
Since the pumpkin made it to scale but not off the scale while in a
sound free of rot condition, that is why we (IPGA) have decided to recognize
it as an official weight as the judges did but not as a state record.
The GPC and IPGA rules clearly state the pumpkin must be sound,
healthy, and undamaged. Entries must be free of rot, holes/cracks
through to the cavity, chemical residue and serious soft spots.
Did the pumpkin make it to the
scale and pass final inspection? Yes, Did it while still on the scale
prove to be healthy, sound, and free of rot? No, as a board we do not feel
that it did.
So now that is
over with, what do we have. Does Tom have his prize money? Yes, all
$1000 of it. Does Tom have an official weight? Yes, even the IPGA
recognizes that. It made it to an official scale. Does Tom have an
official state record? Not with the IPGA but I have already
suggested to Tom that he talk to Ralph Ann our state statistician about having
it record by the state of Indiana as a state record.
We have already as a board discussed
this with Hugh Wiberg. You can expect a clarification on this in the
weeks to come in case a similar situation would ever arise at a national
weigh-off. As far as locally, The IPGA will most likely add a clause that the
pumpkin must weighed and off the scale without showing signs of damage and/or
rot.
For the
record, we have already ask ourselves this question. Was this a pumpkin
damaged in handling? Yes, maybe. However, while it was still on
the scale it came apart and proved not to be sound and free of rot.
Personally, this is the toughest call
as a board member I have ever had to make. I hate being in this
situation. I understand both the need for Tom receiving proper
recognition and the need for the IPGA remaining a group of the highest
integrity. A group that is above reproach. Given this extremely
rare never before heard of case, I feel we have done both.
The group welcomes your suggestions.
Feel free to let us know how you feel.
Brad Walters
IPGA
Site Coordinator
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