Jay Richard, Wyoming's Pumpkin King, won't be bringing a 2,000-pound pumpkin to the 2025 Wyoming State Championship Weigh Off and Pumpkin Drop on Oct.4.
His colleague, Chad Kurtenbach, who's growing a pumpkin in his backyard in Lovell, might.
"He's north of 1,800 pounds," Richard told Cowboy State Daily. "I'm thrilled for him, but I'm a little jealous, not gonna lie."
Richard, Kurtenbach, and other growers from several states will be bringing giant gourds and the cream of their crop to Worland on Oct. 4. That will put some weight behind the reputations of the region's biggest and best growers of the season.
The Pumpkin Drop will reach new heights in 2025. A taller crane will drop multiple massive pumpkins from a height of 275 feet to crush a strategically placed outhouse waiting below.
"We'll have to move the Drop Zone outside of the arena to get people further back," Richard said. "Dropping pumpkins from 275 feet is really getting up there, and we haven't missed the ground yet."
Kelly, the 1,460-pound pumpkin being grown in Jay Richard's custom-built greenhouse in Worland. "Wyoming's Pumpkin King" said the two pumpkins in his greenhouse are the prettiest he's ever grown, but they'll both fall short of the 2,000-pound goal he's been aspiring to achieve for years. (Courtesy Jay Richard) 
The "Lovell Leviathan" being grown by Chad Kurtenbach. The exact weight of this giant gourd won't be confirmed until the 2025 Wyoming State Championship Weigh Off and Pumpkin Drop, but measurements suggest it's already over 1,900 pounds and could reach 2,000 pounds before the event. (Courtesy Chad Kurtenbach) 
Ron Hoffman of Riverton poses next to the massive marrow he'll be bringing to Worland for the 2025 Wyoming State Championship Weigh Off and Pumpkin Drop on Oct. 4. This marrow, a zucchini-like fruit, could set a new state record. (Courtesy Jay Richard)
Growers Not Showers
The pumpkin-growing season has been slow for Richard. Months of relentless dedication and luxurious care have produced the prettiest pumpkins in his career, but they're smaller and lighter than he hoped.
"I'm going to fall short of 2,000 pounds yet again," he said. "It's better than last year, but I just couldn't get them going."
Richard has been determined to grow a 2,000-pound pumpkin in Worland, "Project P2K," since he started growing in his custom-built, temperature-controlled greenhouse in 2023. The closest he got was "Marion," the 1,784-pound pumpkin he grew that year.
Richard's current crop includes "Kelly," 1,460 pounds and growing, the 1,250-pound "Jill," and "Jacqueline," which he called "the ugliest 400-pound pumpkin ever."
Wyoming's state record for a pumpkin, 2,062 pounds, was set in 2023 by Andy Corbin of Cheyenne. Richard has been corresponding with Corbin and other pumpkin growers throughout the country as he attempted to get this year's pumpkins on the fast track.
"We all spend a lot of time on this, and I've been blessed to have a lot of people who are a lot smarter than I am offering suggestions," Richard said. "We've narrowed it down to a couple of things that are must-dos for next year."
Richard's greenhouse is already optimized for giant pumpkin growth with constant humidity, an irrigation system, and temperature control that includes an air conditioner. While he's grown the healthiest plants of his career, the pumpkins themselves have been lethargic, despite the luxury.
Richard believes his precious pumpkins got too much sun this summer. To avoid that pitfall, he'll improve his operation with retractable shade cloths and a second air conditioner before the 2026 growing season.
"I still don't have an air conditioner for my house, but my greenhouse is going to have two when I plant my seeds next year," he said."
Lovell Leviathan
While Richard continues pampering his pumpkins, he's in awe of what Kurtenbach's growing in his backyard in Lovell. Kurtenbach is still a relative newcomer to the giant pumpkin community that's poised to make a big impression at this year's Weigh Off.
"He estimated his pumpkin is almost 1,900 pounds," Richard said. "I don't know if it'll be a state record by Oct. 4, but I can tell you that it's bigger on the tape measure than Marion was a couple of years ago."
The weight of a pumpkin can be accurately estimated using a series of measurements. By measuring and adding together a pumpkin's circumference, side to side, and stem to base, you can get an approximate weight by volume.
Kurtenbach won't know the exact weight of his leviathan until it's lowered on the scale in Worland on Oct. 4. Richard celebrates his immense achievement while admitting he's envious.
"Here I am grinding it out with state-of-the-art stuff, and everything with soil-testing, climate controls in the greenhouse, and he's going to beat me with one he's growing in his backyard. That's karma. But I couldn't be happier for him."
Kurtenbach's had some help along the way. Richard's always available for support and advice, and some people stepped up when he was out on a job.
"He was on a fire for 19 days and had a neighbor taking care of it," Richard said. "He's a great guy, a fantastic grower, and he's having a pretty incredible year."
Top Crops
The Wyoming State Championship Weigh Off and Pumpkin Drop is about more than pumpkins. Growers from Wyoming and other states will be traveling to Worland with their biggest and best crops of the season.
"I've had people reach out from Billings and as far away as Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, about bringing their fruit this year," Richard said.
There will be weigh-offs for zucchini and watermelon before the pumpkins get the spotlight, and Richard is anticipating that at least one state record will be set this year.
"Ron Hoffman in Riverton didn't grow a giant pumpkin for the first time in 25 years, but he's bringing a giant marrow, which is like a zucchini," he said. "We will definitely be setting the state record for marrow with one Ron brings, and we might get a new state-record watermelon on the scale."
Dozens of local vendors will be set up selling everything from fudge to custom clothing and other sundries. The kids can enjoy tractor rides and bouncy houses while parents peruse the produce and products.
"It promises to be a really good day of family fun," Richard said.
New Heights
The climax of the day-long event is the Pumpkin Drop, which will reach new heights in 2025. Worland's Swing Trucking Inc. has offered its 275-foot crane for the occasion, which will raise the 1,000-pound-plus pumpkins 100 feet higher than in previous years.
Richard is taking extra precautions with this year's Pumpkin Drop. The extra height will undoubtedly be more dramatic, destructive, and dangerous.
"I had a guy do the physics for me one time," he said. "He figured a 1,000-pound pumpkin hit the ground with 183,000 pounds of force, and that was only from 175 feet. I'm not even going to hide it, it's got me a little nervous."
Last year, six 1,000-pound-plus pumpkins were dropped on a wooden cutout of Wile E. Coyote. Previous targets include trucks and an RV.
This year's target of destruction will be an outhouse that will quickly be crushed to capacity. Richard wouldn't say if the outhouse will be cleaned and emptied before it's crushed and scattered across the arena.
At least one of Richard's pumpkins will be sacrificed at the Pumpkin Drop, but he's saving the biggest and best for his family. Stuffing one of his prized pumpkins with Tannerite and blowing it into oblivion has become a family tradition.
"That's my son's birthday present, about the first weekend in November," he said. "It's good entertainment."
Richard doesn't know how many pumpkins will be dropped this year, but he's confident there will be plenty of craters and pumpkin pieces on the ground before the fun's over. However, everyone will be enjoying it from further away to minimize the risk posed by hunks of imploding pumpkins.
"They're going to be a long way up there," he said. "What could possibly go wrong?"
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
