Re: Whitter Pumpkin - Trap and World Records
My guess is that he knew it was split and he wasn't trying to
establish a record but trying to figure out what it weighed. The pumpkin was split,
why risk breaking it in half by rotating up on its side again. He knew it was
an unofficial weight and for an unofficial pumpkin what is a couple of pounds
either way.
Now in regard to this world record thing.
It may not be a "world record" according to our definition but it is
still the largest vegetable ever grown. Sometimes I think we put too much emphasis
on the pumpkin being split. No one doubts that Bruce grew this monster. No
one can argue that it is the biggest pumpkin ever grown. It is. Is it not a
"record" -- absolutely. Just because we as pumpkin growers choose not to recognize
it as such that is our problem, not the media's, not Guinness book of
records, but ours. We as pumpkin growers have chosen to disown 1/2 of all the big
pumpkins in the world because they were split or otherwise damaged. I'm not sure
why we shun those pumpkins like we do. These are the rules we as pumpkin
growers have established, if the rest of the world chooses not to accept our rules
then perhaps we should question our own rules. I for one question the
validity of the rules. How can we not recognize Bruce's pumpkin as the largest
pumpkin ever grown? This distinction between official and unofficial and damaged and
exhibition is an artificial distinction that we ourselves have created.
I understand that it takes more luck, and perhaps more skill to raise
a 1300 pound pumpkin that is not split then it does to grow a 1300 pound
pumpkin that is split. I'm not arguing that point. But how can we fail to recognize
a pumpkin that is 111 pounds heavier than any other pumpkin ever grown in the
history of the world as a "world record"?
Just my point of view, I know I am in the minority. For now, I am a
giant pumpkin grower and will live by the rules that we create for ourselves.
Brian Christensen
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