Photo: Supplied
Second place went to a pumpkin weighing 360kg, while the third-placed pumpkin weighed in at 185kg.
In 2024, Bester also took first place with a pumpkin weighing 730,8kg. The 2023 winner, Wykus Lamprecht, entered a pumpkin weighing 890kg – the heaviest ever recorded in the competition, according to organiser Henri Combrink.
The Goliat van Gat event is registered with the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (GPC), which requires that vegetables entered into the competition adhere to strict guidelines. No blemishes or spots showing signs of decay are allowed.
Combrink said the objective of the competition was to raise funds for the Cullinan Farmers’ Union while also creating awareness about agriculture.
“The pumpkins are mostly from the Dill’s Atlantic Giant variety and crossbred varieties developed through cross-pollination. All pumpkins entered into the competition are donated to the needy in Pretoria and surrounding areas,” Combrink added.
The competition also featured a pumpkin dish cooking contest, with Ritha Combrink from Cullinan emerging as the winner for her pumpkin soup. The top five winners each received a cooking class at Steyn’s Culinary School in Hatfield, Pretoria.
The pumpkin-carrying competition brought some heavy moments as participants gave their best to lift the enormous pumpkins, while the seed-spitting contest sent seeds flying everywhere.
