Susanna Freymark
He’s done it again — Dale Oliver won the giant pumpkin competition in Kyogle today, Saturday, January 18.
Dale said he’s won “a couple of times” but he has actually taken the trophy home to Knockrow many more times.
In 2021, Dale broke Kyogle records with an 867kg pumpkin – it held the record for the heaviest pumpkin grown in the Southern Hemisphere.
Today’s pumpkin was 671kg and it won $1000 for Dale.
Second was John Leadbeatter from Rukenvale with his “ugly pumpkin” weighing 536.5kg.
Lilian Cox came third with a pumpkin weighing of 428.5kg.
Dale’s partner Donna Syme won the heaviest watermelon and their granddaughter Mackenzie won the biggest pumpkin grown by a child.
Phil Dudman from ABC Radio presented the prizes.
Lilian urged him to try and grow a giant pumpkin next year.
Phil shook his head. I only have a small garden in Lismore, he said.
Lilian said more growers were needed to expand the comp.
Dale, John and Lilian have won many times. Lilian also won the heaviest tomato this year.
Phil presented the placegetters for the under 250kg pumpkin category – first place was Geoff Frohloff with a 220kg pumpkin, second was Chris Pike with a weigh-in of 145kg and third place went to ‘Etterick’ (this was the only available information for this entry) with a 67.5kg pumpkin.
One of the traditions of the festival is to slice up the watermelons and share them with the crowd.
The giant pumpkins are not edible but can be fed to cattle.
The seeds of the winning pumpkin are a coveted prize.
One of the festival organisers Rob Cullen estimated a crowd of about 2500 people.
The pumpkins and watermelons were on display along Stratheden Street.
More photos and stories to come.
