Re: WPC rules. Fair?
Simple.......if it were sound and weighed before October, it would be a
record......the fact seems to be that it was not sound, this has nothing to
do with any govering body such as GPC or WPC.....was it sound or unsound at
time of weighing......?????.........wayne----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Smith" <unclecb@ureach.com>
To: "Lubadub@aol.com" <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 5:51 AM
Subject: WPC rules. Fair?
> Hi,
>
> It should be noted that the Whittier pumpkin was a sound pumpkin
> according to WPC rules up until the point that the split was
> noticed by Bruce. If he had pulled the pumpkin at some time
> before that had happened and had it weighed and it had surpassed
> the current world record, then he should have had both titles
> (Guiness and WPC). Since, as I understand it, there is no
> provision for official recognition of a pumpkin by the WPC that
> was weighed early except if it was at an official event (WPC or
> GPC or State Fair), he was forced to wait until some such event
> was offered.
>
> All pumpkins (and vegetables) will eventually rot given enough
> passage of time. Some will last a long time and some others a
> short time. So, in my point of view, the WPC sanctioned events
> represents a contest between those pumpkins that can last the
> longest without having some defect occur until a few rather
> arbitrary dates (the first Saturday in October for example).
> The contests do not necessarily determine the biggest pumpkin
> that year. If the dates for the weigh-offs were pushed back to
> the first weekend in November, how many more pumpkins might
> develop problems and thus be disqualified from being the largest
> pumpkin? If the dates for the weigh-offs were advanced to the
> first weekend in September, how many more pumpkins might be
> included in the race for the biggest pumpkin that might still be
> considered sound? I am not sure what makes the first weekend
> date in October such a fair date. Growers in the south(e.g.
> Florida or Georgia or Arizona) and perhaps other areas of the
> country with longer growing seasons might prefer a November
> weekend instead. Growers in Canada or Alaska might prefer the
> September dates. The November dates would give those southern
> growers extra time to put on those last extra pounds. Who is to
> say they don't have the right to do so if their plants are still
> growing? The Canada growers might want to get the pumpkins
> weighed in September to keep any possible rot (or weight loss)
> from developing in their pumpkins since their pumpkins may have
> already stopped growing and are mature.
>
> During the year that Larry Checkon had his 1100+lb pumpkin, if
> he had had the opportunity to pull his pumpkin early(before the
> Dill Ring had been able to break through) and have it officially
> weighed, then he would have had a sound pumpkin and had the
> world's largest pumpkin at that time. Was it a sound pumpkin?
> Up until the problem, then it sure was it my view.
>
> The only mistake that Bruce Whittier made in my view was not
> pulling his pumpkin before the split occurred and having it
> weighed on certified scales. He probably wanted it to get even
> bigger (don't we all) but he was also hamstrung by the WPC rules
> about when he could get it "offically" weighed. The Guiness
> people are under no such restrictions. They are looking for the
> biggest pumpkin even with the problem. If Bruce had pulled the
> pumpkin before the split, and it had weighed more than Charlie
> Houghton's, what would the WPC position be then? We already
> know what the Guiness position would be. The same as it is
> now.
>
> Comments appreciated.
>
> Steve Smith
> Harrison, TN
>
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