Minnesota pumpkin grower wins World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off

ANOKA, Minn. (FOX 9) – Minnesota’s Travis Gienger won the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in California for the second year in a row, with his pumpkin Rudy taking home the grand prize. 

Grand prize pumpkin

Rudy weighed in at 2,471 pounds on Monday at the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California. 

In June, Gienger didn’t think he’d make it to the championship, so he named his pumpkin Rudy because it’s a comeback story. 

Rudy wasn’t a world record pumpkin, though. The world record is 2,749 pounds, set by Gienger’s pumpkin named Michael Jordan in 2023.

In 2022, Gienger grew Maverick the Pumpkin. At 2,560 pounds, it was carved into the world’s largest jack-o-lantern. The pumpkin was displayed outside Anoka City Hall.

Dig deeper

Gienger will appear on FOX 9’s All Day on Tuesday during the noon hour. You can watch it live on FOX LOCAL and FOX9.com. 

Travis Gienger is a teacher and pumpkin grower from Anoka County.