Rhode Island grower weighs pumpkin exceeding world record

A Rhode Island pumpkin grower weighed a massive squash that exceeds the current world record by nearly 300 pounds, while a Minnesota horticulturist secured his fifth victory at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Northern California on October 12, 2026.

The Record-Breaking Weigh-In in New England

Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island, brought his giant pumpkin to a local competition on Saturday, where it tipped the scales nearly 300 pounds (136 kilograms) above the existing world record. Wallace is currently waiting for official confirmation from the Guinness Book of World Records.

The reigning world record is held by Ian Paton of Lymington, England, who entered a 2,857-pound (1,296-kilogram) squash on October 3. Wallace stated that he has been in communication with Guinness officials, who indicated his new entry is on track for verification.

“It’s truly massive, it was a pleasure to grow,” Wallace said by phone.

Wallace collected US$3,500 at his local New England event. He chose to remain in his hometown rather than accept larger prize purses elsewhere, some reaching up to $70,000. For the first time, Wallace cultivated his crop inside a greenhouse, attributing part of his success to shared knowledge within the broader pumpkin-growing community.

Wallace described the atmosphere at the venue when the weight was announced by stating, I was just ecstatic, the place just exploded. He entered the hobby after starting his own online business selling gardening supplies, and noted that the agriculture industry is increasingly reaching out to giant pumpkin growers for advice on soil and growing techniques, while competitions help legitimize growers. The only way you create a 3,000-pound pumpkin is a community working together, he added.

The Fifth Victory in Half Moon Bay

Thousands of miles away in Northern California, horticulture teacher Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota, won the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off for the fifth time in a row on October 12, 2026. Gienger’s pumpkin, named “Rocky,” weighed in at 2,389 pounds (1,083 kilograms).

Guinness World Records Has Not yet Verified Wallace Pumpkin

As of October 12, 2026, official verification from the Guinness Book of World Records remains pending for Wallace’s New England entry. Guinness representatives did not respond to requests for comment regarding the timeline for ratifying the new weight.

Whether Wallace’s pumpkin officially supersedes Paton’s October 3 record depends entirely on the final audit by international record keepers.