Arts & Entertainment
1,704-Lb. Pumpkin Wins Weigh-Off, Breaks Record
Leonardo Urena took the prize at the 38th annual weigh-off held this morning in Half Moon Bay.
A new state record for the heaviest pumpkin in California was set this morning in Half Moon Bay, when a 1,704-lb. pumpkin grown by Leonardo Urena in Napa tipped the scales to win over $10,000 at the city's .
"I've always wanted to win Half Moon Bay," Urena said, who placed third last year and second in the few years before that.
He embraced his daughter in celebration shortly after the numbers registered on the scale.
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Urena said he used his own "991 Urena" pumpkin seed to grow this year's winning entry.
Minutes later, he was still shaking with the news while speaking to a crush of reporters.
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"I'm really proud," he said.
Marysville residents Brant and Eleanor Bordsen captured second place. Their pumpkin weighed in at 1,693 lbs. The couple's pumpkin also beat the state record.
Their secret? "A good seed and a lot of attention," said Eleanor.
Despite the wet and cold weather, hundreds of spectators crowded the stage set up outside the IDES Hall on Main St. to watch the pumpkins parade past the scale.
Though Napa resident Tim Mathison's pumpkin was weighed last, it came in third place at 1,554 lbs.Â
The three heaviest pumpkins in this year's contest outweighed last year's grown by Ron Root of Citrus Heights.
Standouts included the 775-lb. heaviest Coastside pumpkin grown by Half Moon Bay's Farmer John Muller and an entry from Portola Valley's Eric Carlson, whose pumpkin won the "Most Beautiful" award from the audience.
The full slate of entrants included:
Grower Name City of Residence Pumpkin Weight (lbs) Leonardo Urena (1st, new Calif. state record) Napa 1,704 Brant and Eleanor Bordsen (2nd, broke previous state record) Marysville 1,693 Tim Mathison (3rd) Napa 1,554 J. Hawkley Napa 1,548 Ron Root Citrus Heights 1,521 T. Starr Pleasant Hill, Ore.1,487 S. Daletas Pleasant Hill, Ore.
1,292 R. Globus Walnut Grove 1,273 J. Sherwood Mulino, Ore. 1,220 J. Martin Hayward 1,097 R. Pingrey Santa Rosa 1,067 G. Miller Napa 1,011
S.V. Vonderschoot Napa 991 W. Dabel San Jose 963 R. Westervelt Granite Bay 790 Farmer John Muller Half Moon Bay 755 C. Busquaert Napa 655 A. Martinez Fremont 652 J. Szabo Half Moon Bay 597 K. Masurat San Jose 573 Eda Muller Half Moon Bay 557 C. Lague San Mateo 427 J. Kasso Los Altos 392 Lewis Keading El Sobrante 369 Ecovillage Farm Richmond 328 Eric Carlson (Most Beautiful Pumpkin Audience Award) Portola Valley 286 EcoVillage Farm Kids Richmond 253 V. Zunino Los Altos 247 Lucille Keading El Sobrante 229 V. Fredrick Woodside 223 P. Kasso Los Altos 171 E. Pasmooji Los Altos 164 M. Pasmooji Los Altos 133 M. Gaasch Half Moon Bay 109 V. Pasmooji Los Altos 89 A. Gaasch Half Moon Bay 73 Beverly Hillbilly Half Moon Bay 21
For more weigh-off photos published on Half Moon Bay Patch, click .
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