Barwick man raises ‘giant’ champion

Just four pounds first and second place but it was enough to give Wayne Both of Barwick top honours at the fourth-annual Rainy River Valley Giant Pumpkin Festival on Saturday.
Both’s prize-winning pumpkin weighed in at 742 pounds, just ahead of former festival champ Sheldon Mose of Stratton, whose entry tipped the scales at 738 pounds.
Lee Johnson of Gameland had the third-heaviest pumpkin at 609 pounds.
“I didn’t expect to win the heaviest pumpkin. Sheldon’s looks a lot bigger,” said Both, who took home the $1,000 first prize and coveted “Golden Hoe.”
He also won the “Silver Watering Can” as the rookie-of-the-year.
Mose won $200 as runner-up while Johnson earned $100 for his third-place showing.
Ironically, it was Mose who got Both involved in the pumpkin festival. In fact, he even had given him several tips on how to raise his pumpkin.
“There’s three basic things you need for pumpkin growing,” Mose noted. “Good seed, good soil, and good luck.”
The pumpkin festival, held at Hannam Park in Rainy River, has come a long way since Dr. Ewan Affleck started it three years ago in his own back yard. More than 100 entries were registered this year–nine of which weighed 400 pounds or more.
“I was hoping for a 500-pounder this year, or maybe six, so I was very happy [with the results],” Dr. Affleck noted after the weigh-in Saturday afternoon.
Entries also were high in the other categories this year, Dr. Affleck said, such as best decorated pumpkin, heaviest Kelsae onion, and tallest sunflower.
He noted the children’s events, particularly entertainer Jake Chenier, also attracted large numbers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Affleck said he’s been talking to the World Pumpkin Confederation to see what it would take to have the Rainy River festival a designated weigh-in site for national and international competitions.
“I was talking to Howard Dill, who’s the godfather of pumpkin growing,” he noted. “He said when we have 10 pumpkins over 400 pounds to give him a call back.
“I’ll talk to them and see what they say,” Dr. Affleck added, referring to the fact they got nine over that weight this year. “It’s up to the boys [there].”