While huge pumpkins were being weighed and dropped in Worland on Saturday, a new Wyoming state record for the largest pumpkin ever produced in the Cowboy State was set that same day in Colorado.
And the growers couldn't be more deflated.
Andy and Amy Corbin’s latest pumpkin project tipped the scales at 2,085 pounds at Nick’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off in Aurora, Colorado. That breaks the state record they set with a 2,062-pound pumpkin in 2023.
It’s the second time they’ve broken the Wyoming record and their second to break the 2,000-pound mark. Their first state record was set in 2022 with a 1,854-pound squash.
How does it feel? A little disappointing, they said.
“I was a little bummed,” Andy Corbin told Cowboy State Daily. “We were thinking we’d get at least 2,350 pounds on the scale, so coming up 17% lighter was pretty disappointing.”
Coming Up Short
The Corbins are pumpkin-growing legends in Wyoming.
The three record-setting pumpkins they’ve produced were grown in the same high tunnel they keep “reusing” year after year.
“I'm known as the thriftiest pumpkin grower around,” Corbin said. “I have not taken the time to invest in the beautiful structures like Jay Richard has in Worland. Ours is just plastic over PVC pipe, but it’s working out for me.”
For comparison, Richard’s greenhouse has air conditioning and irrigation systems, as well as “retractable shade structures” in the form of tarps thrown over the top.
Corbin’s latest addition to his high tunnel was some recycled wood.
Nevertheless, Corbin believed he had an even bigger monster growing in his high tunnel this year. It was measuring up to be one of the largest ever grown.
“I was dreaming that I was going to be setting the world record,” he said. “The pumpkin was still putting on 60 pounds a day off and on in August, and I've never had 60 pounds a day before.”
Travis Gienger of Minnesota set the world record with a colossal 2,749-pound pumpkin in 2023. Corbin’s expectations tapered a bit when his pumpkin started slowing down its growth, but it seemed poised to break and set the Wyoming state record much higher.
As he preened his pumpkin, Corbin couldn’t be sure how much it weighed. While some growers put their pumpkins on scales from the very beginning, Corbin still relies on measuring his pumpkins to get an approximate idea of their weight based on size.
“I didn't really calculate it out at the time, but I was thinking I’d get at least 2,400 pounds at the minimum based on the measurements,” he said. “When you have that level of expectation, and you've been putting a lot of time and effort all summer, you hope it's going to do what you think it's going to do.”
Water Woes
When Corbin lifted and loaded his massive pumpkin into his pickup for the trip to Aurora, he saw the first signs of trouble. Parts of his pumpkin patch were parched.
“When I pulled it up, I could tell I was not watering enough in the patch,” he said. “I had spots that were bone dry.”
Those signs of concern were borne out at Nick’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off. When Corbin’s pumpkin hit the scale, it came in at 2,085 pounds, which was nearly 300 pounds less than his measurements suggested.
“Measurements are great for getting an idea of how big your pumpkin will be, but you shouldn’t pin your hopes on it,” Corbin said. “But I did. Sometimes you can’t help yourself.”
A similar thing happened at the Wyoming State Championship Weigh-Off and Pumpkin Drop.
Chad Kurtenbach’s massive pumpkin, which he’d grown in his backyard in Lovell, was measuring at close to 2,000 pounds, threatening to break the Corbins’ now-previous record.
“If this is a record-breaker, it’ll hold it for about an hour,” Jay Richard said. It ultimately weighed in at 1,788 pounds, winning the weigh-off but falling short of threatening the state record.
A 2,085-pound pumpkin was still enough to set a new Wyoming state record, but Corbin didn’t deny his frustration.
Rather than parade his success back to Wyoming, he sold the new state champion to Nick’s Garden Center and Farmers Market where the weigh-off was held.
“Everything aside, it’s an absolutely gorgeous pumpkin,” he said. “This way, a whole bunch of people can enjoy it, rather than me taking it back and showing it around. All the little kids in Aurora will get to enjoy my pumpkin.”
Lesson Learned
Despite the disappointing result, the Corbins have set a new state record for the third consecutive time.
“I need to be happier than I am,” Andy said. “When you get those expectations and you've had them for so long, it’s pretty disappointing.”
Corbin is still deciding on how he wants to proceed with next year’s pumpkin, but he’s confident in his mistakes.
“If I had watered the plant enough, it absolutely would have crossed the 2,400-pound threshold,” he said.
Breaking the world record will take a lot more doing, but Corbin’s just hoping to set a higher threshold for the Wyoming state record. Ultimately, even the most diligent care and attention can’t account for the luck that factors into growing the world’s biggest pumpkins.
“There’s definitely the possibility with the things you can do and having the luck to get it there,” he said. “Some of it is having that perfect weather and the right conditions, and some of it is luck. You definitely have to have the luck factor.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
