Welcome to Pumpkinfest

The Langridge family poses with Sarah’s pumpkin which earned the Harold Dill Award for the second consecutive year. The award honours the most beautiful pumpkin (in colour and shape over 600 pounds).

The sun shone on Wellington’s 16th annual Pumpkinfest and hundreds of people came out to celebrate the season with a parade, food, fun and giant vegetable weigh-offs.

County growers were in the winning spotlight at the highlight weigh-off event.

John Vincent, who set a new Canadian record for giant cabbage last weekend at 99 pounds, won the Wellington weigh-off with a 96.5 pound entry. His most impressive cabbage is still in the garden putting on weight for its appearance at the Royal Winter Fair next month.
His 1,133 pound pumpkin placed second in Wellington, just behind the winner, Jim Reid, of Martintown, at 1,148 pounds.

The Langridge family weighed in a measured numerous prize winners and won, for the second, consecutive year, the Howard Dill Award, honouring the most beautiful pumpkin over 600 pounds in colour and shape. Dill is a four-time world champion and is considered a founder of the modern day giant pumpkin, patenting a seed variety named the Atlantic giant.
Shannon Langridge won the squash category with an 861 pound entry, far ahead of the 711 pound winner of second place. Mom Annette, sister Sarah, and Dad Dan, won third, fourth and fifth spots in the squash weigh-offs. Shannon earned fourth-place in the giant pumpkin category at 1,031.5 pounds. The family also won most of the giant sunflower awards with Glen and Jim Huffman, of Ameliasburgh, close in second and third spots. Glen Huffman placed sixth in the giant pumpkin category with a weight of 1,009.5 pounds.

Pumpkin royalty, Jim and Kelsey Bryson, of Ormstown, Quebec were wearing their World Champion jackets, earned last year when they weighed a world record setting pumpkin in Wellington at 1,818.5 pounds. Their record stood until earlier this month when it was beat in Deerfield, New Hampshire with a pumpkin weighing 1,843.5 pounds. That record lasted just one day as it was beat Friday, Oct. 5 by Ron Wallace, of New England, who grew the world’s first one ton pumpkin weighing in at 2,009 pounds.

2012 results:

Giant Pumpkin
1.    Jim Reid, 1148 lbs, Martintown, ON
2.    John Vincent, 1133 lbs, Picton, ON
3.    Mike Rusenstrom, 1037.5 lbs, Bristol, QC
4.    Shannon Langridge, 1031.5 lbs, Picton, ON
5.    Todd Kline, 1030.5 lbs, Shawville, QC
6.    Glen Huffman, 1009.5 lbs, Ameliasburg, ON
7.    Tom Cavanagh, 959 lbs, Peterborough, ON
8.    Greg Montgomery, 939.5 lbs, Port Carling, ON
9.    Gerry Cavanagh, 918 lbs, Ennismore, ON
10.    Sarah Langridge, 827 lbs, Picton, ON
11.    Dave Deane, 820 lbs, Bomanville, ON
12.    Annette Langridge, 764 lbs, Picton, ON
13.    John Matesa, 732 lbs, Breslau, ON
14.    Dan Langridge, 700.5 lbs, Picton, ON
15.    Nathan Carter, 558 lbs, Ameliasburg, ON
16.    Matt Kerby, 271 lbs, Stirling, ON
Exhibition/Damaged Chris Lyons, 1092 lbs, Scarborough, ON
Exhibition/sound Jim Reid, 558 lbs, Martintown, ON

Squash
1.    Shannon Langridge, 861 lbs, Picton, ON
2.    Kirk Cheinier, 711 lbs, Lakefield, ON
3.    Annette Langridge, 518.5 lbs, Picton, ON
4.    Sarah Langridge, 483.5 lbs, Picton, ON
5.    Dan Langridge, 465 lbs, Picton, ON
6.    Phil and Jane Hunt, 446 lbs, Cameron, ON

Watermelon
1.     Phil and Jane Hunt, 150 lbs, Cameron, ON
2.     John Matesa, 144lbs, Breslau, ON
3.     Chris Bell, 66 lbs, Concecon, ON
4.     Kirk Chenier, 48 lbs, Lakefield, ON

Long Gourd
1.    Todd Kline, 114.5”, Shawville, QC
2.    Paul Verkerk, 111.75”, Richmond, ON
3.    Chris Lyons, 106.13, Scarborough, ON
4.    Phil Joynson, 94.25”, Enniskillen, ON

Tomato
1.    Greg Montgomery, 4.19lbs, Port Carling, ON
2.    John Vincent, 3.78 lbs, Picton, ON
3.    John Metesa, 3.72 lbs, Breslau, ON
4.    Phil Joynson, 3.34 lbs, Ennismore, ON
5.    Chris Lyons, 3.28 lbs, Scarborough, ON
6.    Phil and Jane Hunt, 3.13 lbs, Cameron, ON
7.    Glen Huffman, 1.23 lbs, Ameliasburg, ON

Field Pumpkin
1.    Chis Lyons, 88.5 lbs, Scarborough, ON
2.    Phil and Jane Hunt, 80 lbs, Cameron, ON
3.    Dan Langridge, 57 lbs, Picton, ON
4.    Shannon Langridge, 56.5 lbs, Picton, ON
5.    Sarah Langridge, 54.5 lbs, Picton, ON
6.    Annette Langridge, 54 lbs, Picton, ON
7.    Jim and Kelsey Bryson, 102 lbs (damaged/exhibition only, Ormstown, QC

Cabbage
1.     John Vincent, 96.5 lbs, Picton, ON
2.    Jane and Phil Hunt, 66.5 lbs, Cameron, ON
3.    Sarah Langridge, 58.5 lbs, Picton, ON
4.    John Matesa, 51 lbs, Breslau, ON
5.    Kirk Chenier, 43.5 lbs, Lakefield, ON
6.    Chris Lyons, 38.5 lbs, Scarborough, ON

Sunflowers
1.    Shannon Langridge, 169”, Picton, ON
2.    Glen Huffman, 167.75”, Ameliasburg, ON
3.    Jim Huffman, 159”, Ameliasburg, ON
4.    Lee Moore, 149”, Wellington, ON
5.    Dan Langridge, 148”, Picton, ON
6.    Annette Langridge, 147.25”, Picton, ON
7.    Sarah Langridge, 146.5”, Picton, ON

The 13-member Winstead Synchronized Obedience Team raised $3,350 as part of the Wellington Lions’ Club’s annual Purina Walk for Dog Guides. Team leader is Ken Campbell, owner of Winstead Dogs near Bloomfield. The walking team was led by Gay Halpenny of Picton. She trained her German Shepherd, Judy, at Winstead and works her from her scooter. Alan R. Capon photo