聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Arcola's Doug Whitehead weighed in as the winner with his 675-pound pumpkin at Fairlight's 16th Annual Pumpkin Weigh-In on Saturday, Oct. 3.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although this year's winning pumpkin didn't break last year's record-with a 1,118-pound pumpkin declared the 2015 winner-the 16th edition of Fairlight's Annual Pumpkin Weigh-In broke its own attendance record, with this year's 27 (pumpkin) entries raising nearly $11,000 via its Calcutta.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his is the second year we've had to bring in a pumpkin by skid steer,鈥� says Rec Board president, Kyle Hebert. 鈥淲e've raised just shy of $11,000 with our Calcutta. It's been a great success.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here's a bigger turnout this year than there was last year,鈥� says Courtney Fowler of Fairlight. 鈥淚 think this year's a record, and there are bigger pumpkins, too.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The 27 pumpkins entered in the event ranged from 27 pounds to Whitehead's 675-pound winner. Although he wasn't on hand to witness his win, organizer Gillian Wilson of Fairlight says, 鈥淟ast year, Doug had a hand in the winning pumpkin, too.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wilson and her family-husband John and children Lisa, John and Amanda- took the trophy home last year with their massive entry- a record-breaking 1,118 pound pumpkin.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 John told The Observer last year: 鈥淚 work with Doug. He and his mom grow pumpkins and he always wanted to come to Fairlight and enter this. When he found out that I was entering, he said they'd聽 help me grow one.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Like this year's winner, last year's entry was transported to the Village of Fairlight by skid steer and made it to the community hall's doors-but not inside-to be weighed. Other winning pumpkins did make it inside the hall, where the winning growers were announced: Bryson Melnick, Richard Krainyk, Kristine Sauter, Morten Jensen and Kelly Kay.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although each grower has a different formula for growing a winning pumpkin, seed selection is seen by some as critical. According to Gillian Wilson.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淟ast year, our (teenage) daughter actually crawled inside our big pumpkin to get some seeds out,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut it's all good fun and it's just for bragging rights.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hat this event really does is support our community on two levels,鈥� adds Wilson. 鈥淚t brings everyone together-especially before winter-and it keeps this building and the Drop-In centre open and in good repair.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's a good community event and it brings everybody together in good fun.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This year's weigh-in packed the hall with attendees from throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as guests from Denmark.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The 2015 Calcutta also has an Australian connection, according to David Gordon of Fairlight.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎n Australian guy was working for one of the local farmers here. He's back in Australia now, but he and some of his friends over their put together a $1,000 bid for one pumpkin.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Thirteen-year-old Brandon Shipley, 13 was one of a team who was tasked with bringing the pumpkins into the hall for he weigh-in and says, 鈥淚've been coming to this for a long time and t's really good for Fairlight.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gillian Wilson agrees.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 lot of people came out to see last year's winning pumpkin after hearing about it in the news,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hat happened there really put our little town on the map; but what happens every year is the fantastic enthusiasm and support we receive for this event.鈥�
