Official Rules
   Site Fees And Prize Structure
    Rules Regarding Prizes
    Awards
   Pay your Site Fee Online
   GPC Officers
   History
   
The following choices will be available for your site and other weigh-off groups who wish to join the benefits of this world class organization.
  1. Basic Entry Level $100.00
    • Includes membership in the GPC
    • Weigh-off documentation on Big Pumpkins.com and this site
    • GPC Banner to be displayed at sanctioned weigh-offs
    • Avaliable for 'single vegetable' competitions, which do not include pumpkins
      (watermelon-only contest, for example)
    • 1st place ribbon for featured category

  2. Premium Level $300.00 (All Pumpkin sites)
    • Includes all of Basic Level benefits
    • Eligible for GPC website hosting of associated club
    • 1st place pumpkin plaque, ribbons 2nd-10th
    • 1st place ribbons for other GPC recognized categories upon request
    • Howard Dill Award plaqu
    • Eligible for any other GPC Bonuses cash or otherwise
Notes:
  • Award package will not be available if dues received after June 30
  • All money in US funds


The GPC encourages weighoff sites to submit grower data and final weights online into Bigpumpkins.com final tallies within one week of completion of your weighoff event. It is important to our grower’s efforts are properly noted in a timely fashion for due recognition. Sites who continually miss the deadline could face consideration of removal from further GPC recognition

Rules Regarding Prizes  Top^
  1. Best Top 10 Average: This award goes to the site with the best top 10 average from all GPC sites that have paid a $300 registration fee. All fruit regardless of color are eligible for top ten considerations. All rules explained in Article II apply, namely section 2.
  2. Most improved site: This award will go to the site with the biggest percentage increase in top ten average weight gain over the previous year (all registration levels are eligible for this award). The sites must have 10 qualifying pumpkins both years to calculate this average.
  3. Grower of the year award: This award will be given to the grower or "team" (as defined within Article 2, Section 1 of the GPC Rules) who accumulates the most total pounds combined from three official fruit weighed at multiple sanctioned GPC events (only Premium registration levels will be eligible for this award). The GPC will recognize the top three official fruit entered at a minimum of two separate sanctioned GPC events, providing the two fruit weighed at the same event are one pumpkin and one squash. A grower may enter in more than two GPC events but only the three heaviest fruit will count. The grower must be present with their fruit at all events to be eligible.
  4. Howard Dill award: This award will be given to the grower of the prettiest, symmetric, orange or orange-red pumpkin at each Intermediate and Premium Level site. How the winner is decided based on this description will be up to each site coordinator.
  5. Rookie of the year award: This award will go to the grower of the heaviest official fruit from all first year growers who have never entered any pumpkin into competition previously. This pumpkin may be entered at any GPC sanctioned event (only Premium registration levels are eligible for this award). The grower and fruit must adhere to all rules stated in Article II, color will not be a deciding factor. The site will be responsible for submittal of information as stated in Article I Section 8.
  6. Individual grower prize money: For a grower to be eligible for prize money paid out by the GPC, the site must be a Premium Level registration site for pumpkin and squash prizes. The complete site listing for the GPC will be made availabe after the July 1 deadline, and before the first weighoff of the northern hemisphere is scheduled. It will be the grower's responsibility to ensure they take their possible winning fruit to the correct site of participation.
  7. World Record bonus: awarded to a new world record for pumpkin and / or squash. There will be a maximum of one bonus awarded for pumpkin and one for squash. For example, if two pumpkins beat the previous world record the heavier (the new world record) will be the only one awarded the bonus. The current recognized record for pumpkin is 1,818.5 pounds, and the current record for squash is 1,486.6 pounds.
  8. Grower Jackets & Patches: Awarded to the growers who are in the current top 300 pound weight class, as compared to the world record of that year. For example, if the 2010 world record is 1950 pounds, jackets will be awarded to growers of pumpkins 1700 pounds and up. If the record stands at 1818.5, growers of pumpkins 1600 pounds and heavier will be awarded jackets. A grower will only be awarded one jacket; in following years patches will be awarded to the grower to add to their jacket with the same weight class requirements. These patches will denote the weight class achieved for that year.
  9. 4,000 pound club: Awarded to the grower who accumulates a total of 4,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash, or combination of each between their three heaviest fruit, following the same rules as the "Grower of the Year" award. The prize is a patch that can be sewn onto the grower's jacket. If a grower makes it into the 4,000 pound club without previously being awarded a grower jacket, they will be awarded one for making the 4,000 pound club. The 4,500 pound total has been achieved, and will now be awarded an additional patch. 4,800 will be the next benchmark weight total recognized.
  10. European Champion: This award will be given to the grower of the heaviest pumpkin from GPC sites in Europe.
  11. Master Grower: Awarded to the grower who has the best all-around showing in combined categories (Pumpkin, Squash, Long Gourd, Field Pumpkin, Watermelon, and Tomato). A minimum of 5 out of the 6 categories will be required, and will be based on the following points system: The first place specimen in each category will each receive an amount of points equal to the total number of entries among qualifying growers of the category with the largest number of entries. Each subsequent placing will be awarded one less point than the entry ahead of it. A grower's total number of points will be the deciding factor of the award.
    In the event of a tie for first place, the winner will be chosen from the finalist(s) as follows:

    1. If a world record record was broken in any category. If more than one finalist breaks a record, the win will go to the grower who broke the previous record by the largest % margin.

    2. If no world record was broken, the win will go to the grower who reached the closest to the existing recognized WR in any category as a % of the weight/length of their best specimen.

Awards  Top^
  • Best Top 10 Average: Engraved Plaque and exempt from entry fee for the following year.
  • Most Improved Site: Engraved Plaque and exempt from entry fee for the following year.
  • Grower of the Year: Embroidered jacket and engraved plaque to winner, payout listed below.
  • Howard Dill Award: Plaque.
  • European Champion: Engraved plaque.
  • 2000 Pound Challenge: $6,000. See Quest for 2000 for full details.
  • Rookie of the Year: Engraved plaque.
  • European Champion: 1st - Engraved plaque & $500, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100
  • Master Grower: Engraved plaque and $100
  • Other Recognized Vegetables (Long Gourd, Tomato, Watermelon, Field Pumpkin): Engraved Plaque for 1st place in GPC standings.
  • Individual Grower Prizes: