Rules and Guidelines for Growers Competing at 2012 Port Elgin Pumpkinfest Saturday and Sunday Gaint Vegetable Weigh-Off Competitions
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All weights will be recorded in .5 pound increments
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Our competition is open to all indivduals from any part of the world. The grower must be in attendance at the competition in order to compete or they must relay in writing, to the festival, their unavailability and their reasons for such and authorize a designee in his (her) place.
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Growers must register their specimen(s) between 9am and 12 noon on the day of competition at the Growers Registration area. Please park in Growers Parking Area and fill out the paperwork at the Registration Trailer before deadline time. You will be given a lineup number for your turn at scales. Registration fees are non-refundable.
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An exhibitor may enter only one specimen per class per day. A husband and wife or other family members/growing partners can register indivdually and enter separate specimens. Please note that the GPC will only pay on monetary prize per fixed address per class.
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All pumpkins and squash must be loaded on a skid/pallet so that forklifts can easliy lift the entry and take it to the scales.
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A sepcimen must be sound, healthy and undamaged. Vine must be trimmed to one inch (2.5cm) from the stem (stalk) of the fruit. Foreign material may not be included in the weighing. No carrying device may be included in the weighing.
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Specimens of equal weight will be reweighed and then declared co-winners and that prize money as well as the funds from the next level below will be divided equally for those two positions.
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All Growers agree that the use of his/her name and likeness may be used for promotional purposes without any further compensation.
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No entrant/spectator shall attempt to influence judges or impede the proceedings of a fair competition. The Pumpkinfest Committee will designate an official respresntative responsible for abiding by and absolutely enforcing the rules of competition. Pumpkinfest recerves the right to suspend or remove any competitor/spectator.
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The Pumpkinfest Committee, staff and volunteers shall not be responsible for any accidents, losses or breakage of entries, exhibits or displays,
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The winner of the top Pumpkin category on Saturday agrees to keep his/her speciment on site overnight on display for our visitors on Sunday September 30th, 2012. Accomodation for two on the evening of Saturday September 29th, 2012 will be complimentary.
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Colour requirements-GPC colour requirements will be followed:
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Squash will be classified as follows- The surface area of the fruits as grown in the garden, not including the portion that was in contact with or close proximity to the ground must consist of 100% of the following colours or colour combinations; green, blue and gray. This area will include the area between the ribs, around the stem and the blossom end. This will not include any netting (cantaloping) or any discolouration caused by the close proximity to, or from the ground.
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Pumpkins will be all fruit not classified as squash.
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* Please note: GPC has additional recognition for solid colours of fruit; see the GPC rules for fruther information
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Any $500 cash award for a new, standing World Record Class 1 Vegetable will be awarded after all sites have reported their statistics and the record confirmed. This payment will be presented at the International Giant Vegetable Growers Convention in March of 2012 unless other arrangements must be made. Class 2 Vegetables do not qualify for the $500 award for New World Records.
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In order to be eligible for any of the bonus cash awards ( 4-$500 draws on Saturday and 1-$200 draw on Sunday), you must be present at the time of teh draw. Each fmaily (household) will be eligible for only one draw per day. The heaviest pumpkin and squash on either day will not be eligible for these prizes.
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To win the "Closest to the Weight" Prize the pumpkin must be closest to the sealed hidden weight. If there is a tie with the weight higher and lower being the same, the higher, heavier pumpkin weighed will win the prize. If there is a tie with two pumpkins of the same weigh both being closest to the weight, the first pumpkin registered and weighed will win the prize.
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The Other Heaviest/Longest/Most Unusual Vegetable category is meant to give the growers the opportunity to display and enter any other giant vegetables of competitive merit. The judging of this category will be strictly at the discretion of our officials with very few guidelines except for overall appearance and size.
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The registration fee for the Weigh Offs is $30 Canadian each day for Class 1 vegetables and $15 Canadian each day for Class 2 vegetables provided a Class 1 registration fee has not been paid, and allows the grower to enter as many different classes as they wish on that particular day. This fee also includes one entry into Pumpkinfest Village and one grower's prize (i.e. hat, t-shirt).
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Novice Grower Bonus will be awarded to the Novice Grower (3 years or less growing experience) with the largest pumpkin at Sunday's Wigh Off.
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The Fred Wuerth Memorial Tri-County Growers Award will be awarded to the grower in the tri-county (Bruce, Grey or Huron) with the largest pumpkin at Sunday's Weigh Off.
