A farmer from Minnesota achieved a remarkable feat at the 50th annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off in Half Moon Bay, California. Travis Gienger secured the top spot with his colossal 2,749-pound pumpkin, which also shattered a world record in the process.
Gienger claimed his third victory in the California competition, naming his impressive pumpkin "Michael Jordan." He had previously triumphed in 2022 with a 2,560-pound pumpkin named "Maverick" and in 2020 with a 2,350-pound gourd named "Tiger King."
While Gienger's earlier pumpkins had set national records, his latest achievement earned him the Guinness World Record for the largest pumpkin, surpassing a 2,702-pounder grown by Italian farmer Stefano Cutrupi in 2021.
According to Gienger, the cost of feeding and caring for Michael Jordan amounted to approximately $15,000 since it was planted on April 10.
The $30,000 prize awarded for his victory in the weigh-off will be reinvested in growing his next pumpkin. Notably, Gienger had previously earned a Guinness World Records title for carving his 2022 pumpkin into the world's largest jack-o'-lantern.
