Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Jay Richard shows one of his giant pumpkins that he hopes to enter in Saturday's state championship weigh-in at DPS in Worland. The third annual event is hosted by WyoGiants and sponsored by several businesses.
WORLAND - The 2020 Wyoming State Champion Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Pumpkin Drop will be this Saturday at DPS, 1082 North 10th Street in Worland.
The change in venue from Big Horn Cooperative came about for a few reasons, the main reason was having a lot more room to spread out for the weigh-in and the drop, co-organizer Jay Richard said. Last year they weighed 17 giant pumpkins.
This year's event begins at 9 a.m. with registration. There will also be a guess the weight contest and prettiest pumpkin judging.
There will be vendors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Among the vendors, Richard said Washakie County 4-H will have its annual breakfast, this year it will be doughnuts and drinks. There will also be lunch concessionaire – Chubby Cheeks, offering barbecue.
Weighing for the state championship begins at 11 a.m. and should last about two hours with awards scheduled for 1 p.m. The weigh-in is a sanctioned event for the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth. Richard noted that there are not many weigh-offs this year across the country due to COVID-19.
This is the third year as a GPC-sanctioned event.
There will be a break while they set up for the pumpkin drop. The annual pumpkin drop is slated for 2:30 p.m.
Richard said Swing Trucking is offering use of their crane again, noting "Danny Bertsch and Clinton Brookwell, they make this possible."
As for what the giant pumpkin may drop on will remain a mystery until the day of the event but co-organizer Jay Richard said, "It will be dropped on something appropriate for 2020. We're going to flatten the curve."
Speaking of COVID-19 and 2020, Richard asks spectators to observe social distancing requirements, about one giant pumpkin between people, he said.
The event is hosted by WyoGiants with several area businesses helping to sponsor the event.
PUMPKINS
As for the pumpkins, Richard said his have done well. His two largest, Tasha and Emma, show a lot of promise but the growth has slowed after the freeze. "It got down to 18 the other night, but they are still growing," he said.
He said the third pumpkin, which he hopes to be the one to drop, Audrey, did not do well after the freeze and is "getting mushy" inside.
Richard invites everyone to come out and view the giant pumpkins.
"It should be a good time. We are expecting a decent turn out of pumpkins," Richard said.
