Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers Crown Carol and Dave Stelts World Weigh-Off Champions with 2,565.5-Pound Giant Pumpkin

Canfield, Ohio, event showcases extraordinary giant pumpkins, a combined Top 10 weight of 22,120 pounds

CANFIELD, OH, UNITED STATES, October 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers welcomed some of the nation’s top giant vegetable growers to Parks Garden Center in Canfield today for the annual Giant Pumpkin World Weigh-Off, where Carol and Dave Stelts captured first place with an incredible 2,565.5-pound giant pumpkin.

The Stelts family’s massive pumpkin topped a highly competitive field of 41 giant pumpkins, earning them the $12,250 first-place prize and bragging rights at one of the world’s premier giant pumpkin weigh-off events.

The competition once again demonstrated why Canfield has earned an international reputation among giant pumpkin growers. The event featured extraordinary specimens, experienced competitors, enthusiastic spectators, and a level of competition that continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in giant vegetable growing.

The Stelts family’s winning pumpkin weighed more than 1¼ tons, an impressive achievement that reflects months of careful cultivation, attention to soil health, proper nutrition, watering, and the dedication required to grow a giant pumpkin of this size.

“The quality of the pumpkins brought to Canfield this year demonstrates the incredible dedication and knowledge of the growers who compete here,” said representatives of the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers. “We are proud to welcome these growers to our event and to provide a place where their hard work can be recognized and celebrated.”

A World-Class Top 10
One of the most impressive accomplishments of the day was the combined weight of the ten heaviest pumpkins. Together, the Top 10 pumpkins weighed an astounding 22,120 pounds, averaging 2,212 pounds per pumpkin.
That remarkable average reflects the exceptional quality of the competition and the growing strength of the giant pumpkin-growing community.
The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers’ commitment to hosting a competitive, well-supported weigh-off continues to attract accomplished growers from across the region and beyond.
For spectators, the event provides a rare opportunity to see pumpkins weighing well over a ton, watch them carefully lifted onto certified scales, and meet the people responsible for producing these extraordinary agricultural achievements.

More Than $70,000 in Prizes and Awards
A major attraction of the Giant Pumpkin World Weigh-Off is its substantial prize structure, which rewards growers for their achievements and recognizes excellence throughout the competition.
The first-place pumpkin earned $12,250, while second place received $9,250 and third place earned $7,250.
The prize money extended well beyond the top three finishers. Of the 41 giant pumpkins entered in this year’s competition, 30 growers earned prize money, recognizing a broad range of successful efforts and encouraging continued participation in the sport.
The substantial awards reflect the dedication, time, resources, and expertise required to produce giant pumpkins at this level. Many competitors spend an entire growing season carefully monitoring their plants, managing soil conditions, protecting developing fruit, and adjusting their growing programs to maximize size and quality.
The event’s overall prize purse and awards exceeded $70,000 across its competition categories and incentives, reinforcing its standing as one of the major destinations on the giant vegetable weigh-off circuit.
In addition to the giant pumpkin competition, special awards recognize outstanding achievements in other categories and celebrate the variety of skills represented throughout the giant-growing community.

Celebrating Giant Vegetables of Every Kind
While the giant pumpkins attract much of the attention, the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers’ event celebrates a wide range of extraordinary horticultural accomplishments.
Today’s weigh-off also featured competitions for giant watermelons, giant tomatoes, long gourds, field pumpkins, sunflowers, marrows, and bushel gourds.
These categories highlight the diversity of competitive giant vegetable growing and demonstrate that producing remarkable specimens requires specialized knowledge, careful planning, and a tremendous amount of patience.
From oversized watermelons and giant tomatoes to exceptionally long gourds and enormous field pumpkins, each category offers competitors an opportunity to showcase their achievements and learn from fellow growers.
The event also serves as an educational opportunity for gardening enthusiasts and the general public. Many growers are willing to discuss the techniques behind their success, including seed selection, soil preparation, fertilization programs, watering schedules, pest management, and the challenges of maintaining healthy plants throughout the growing season.
For families and visitors, seeing these vegetables in person offers a new appreciation for the possibilities of gardening and the dedication behind competitive growing.

A Tradition of Agricultural Excellence
The Giant Pumpkin World Weigh-Off has become an annual celebration of agriculture, horticulture, friendly competition, and community involvement in the Mahoning Valley.
The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers have helped establish Canfield as an important location on the international giant pumpkin-growing calendar. As a weigh-off site sanctioned by the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (GPC), the organization participates in a broader community dedicated to promoting giant vegetable growing and maintaining standards for competitive weigh-offs.
The event brings together growers who share a common interest in pushing horticultural boundaries, exchanging knowledge, and celebrating the results of months of work.
Behind every giant pumpkin is a growing season filled with decisions, challenges, and careful attention. The final weigh-off offers competitors an opportunity to see those efforts rewarded while encouraging the next generation of growers to take part.
Today’s impressive results reinforce the reputation of the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers and the enthusiasm that continues to surround giant vegetable growing.
The organization extends its congratulations to Carol and Dave Stelts for their outstanding first-place pumpkin and thanks all participating growers, volunteers, sponsors, and spectators who helped make the 2026 event a success.

About the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers
The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers is a competitive growing organization dedicated to advancing giant pumpkin and giant vegetable cultivation and supporting growers throughout the region. Through its annual Giant Pumpkin World Weigh-Off in Canfield, Ohio, the organization brings together accomplished growers, gardening enthusiasts, and the public to celebrate agricultural achievement and promote the sport of competitive giant

William T. Hendricks
Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers
+1 3307172455