Record shattered twice at Giant Pumpkin Festival

This year’s Giant Pumpkin Festival winner, Piet Lotz of Riversdale in the Southern Cape, broke the South African biggest pumpkin record with his first pumpkin that weighed in at 1 062kg, and then bettered the record with his second pumpkin that tipped the scales at 1 120kg.

- Glenneis Kriel

Unfortunately, his pumpkins were not heavy enough to beat the world record of 1 247kg, which was produced by Travis Gienger of the US and presented at the 50th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, on 9 October 2023.

André du Plessis of Riversdale took second place with a pumpkin that weighed 954kg, while last year’s winner, Pieter Conradie of Nuy Valley, took third place with a pumpkin that weighed 737kg.

Lotz told Farmer's Weekly that he knew that his winning pumpkin would break the record, but was uncertain by how much. “I am a little disappointed that I did not break the world record and will try again for next year, starting with efforts to improve the soil in which the pumpkins are cultivated.”