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Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Can an exhibition pumpkin win the Howard Dill Award? Seveal weigh off sits say yes. I disagree and here is why, I could enter one pumpkin in several locations and win multiple awards. In my mind, correct or not a Howard Dill Award should be given to a pumpkin entered for placement at the weigh off. Start the debate now

8/20/2016 11:35:49 PM

NILES , CALIF

Yes,
Our good old Gpc hands the reins to the site coordinator,
its up to the coordinator to decide how The Howard dell is
won.

8/21/2016 7:36:40 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Linus, not to be in the debate, but I am thinking that the Howard Dill Award (rules) are left up to each site to decide. Every time I have been to a weigh-off, the decision was a fun thing. Not scientific, but fun! Not sure of the definition of exhibition? Does dmg count as exhibition? Would think NO. A second pkn by same grower as exhibition available for HD award...NO! No debate, just MHO. Peace, Wayne PS...due to different growing conditions, in different parts of the USA.. no minimum weight rules should apply! JMHO Peace, Wayne

8/22/2016 12:08:31 AM

Roselle, IL GJGEM@sbcglobal.net

We have allowed exhibition pumpkins to be weighed for the HD award. The pumpkin must be free of cracks, or holes to the cavity. No DMG. and weigh 500lbs or more. Winner is voted by the growers..We do this at our weigh-off to see, and encourage more pretty, or orange pumpkins.

8/22/2016 7:43:02 PM

Johnston, R.I.

I have to agree with Shannon on this.. I think an exhibition pumpkin should not be in prize structure in any form and that includes HD award.. For all practical purposes entering an exhibition pumpkin for a HD award is the same as entering two pumpkins in the same contest by one grower.. This is just my opinion, I am not trying to bang heads with anyone.. Exhibition is exhibition only.. Just how I feel...

8/23/2016 2:55:54 AM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Shannon,
I may have missed it, but I didn't see any rules regarding the Howard Dill award on the Offical GPC site. If what OLD-ROOKIE states is correct(which I have no reason to doubt), then if you don't like the rules at a weigh-off, you can choose not to go, or try and get the rules changed at that weigh-off.

Here's a rule from the Official GPC site. I wonder if this applies to Howard Dill awards?
6) No specimen will be allowed into competition at a GPC site if that
specimen has been previously entered at another competition.

8/23/2016 3:17:36 AM

Morgantown, WV

I agree, only officially qualifying pumpkins should be considered, however I don't necessarily know that any discussion here will change anything.

It seems that feelings about the Howard Dill awards have amplified in years recent. I believe that with the weights going up and up and up each year, a Howard Dill award is more realistic of a goal to many (including myself) who can't compete with the one ton club.

If a revision of GPC guidelines for the Howard Dill award is warranted or desired, perhaps the best way to get that change in motion would be to have a senior member of some sort start an actual petition to be filed with the GPC asking for better clarification or a more acceptable and specific way of voting rather than leaving it up to individual site leaders' taste in pretty.

At any rate, I'm dead proud of all three of my pumpkins this year and hope very much to win a plaque or two with them. If it doesn't happen, it simply wasn't meant to be and I'm not going to be sour that one was picked over mine. I'll happily display them and share them with as many as possible regardless of the outcome.

After all, I'm sure Mr. Dill wouldn't want his award to be fought over... let's all just treat it as a pleasant surprise when we win rather than being upset that we didn't.

8/23/2016 6:13:07 AM

Georgetown, Ontario

In my opinion rule number 6 states that you can't enter a pumpkin into a GPC event that has been previously entered into another competition makes it clear that an exhibition pumpkin can't win a Howard Dill award at multiple competitions. If you don't consider an exhibition pumpkin as being entered into the competition then it isn't able to win a competition it's not entered in. If you do consider an exhibition pumpkin as being entered into the competition then it can only go to one event.

8/23/2016 6:13:57 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

You are entering the second pumpkin as exhibition. It is not in the competition there for according to your rules it is eligible.

GPC Rules State:
Howard Dill award- This award will be given to the grower of the prettiest, symmetric, orange or orange red pumpkin at each site. How the winner is decided based on this description well be up to each site coordinator

I take great pride in the Orange Pumpkins I grow, along with a bunch of others. I just think there needs to be more clarification as to what a Howard Dill Award Pumpkin is, what is eligible, and how it is chosen.

8/23/2016 7:51:29 AM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Good points Shannon. I agree, greater clarification would be helpful

8/23/2016 3:26:31 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

At Doylestown, no exb, no dmg, no field pumpkin will be considered for the HD. No lower weight limit, although we make it well known that the HD is not to be given as a consolation prize which at $500 is pretty well understood by the growers. Award is by anonymous vote by the growers.

8/25/2016 4:12:25 PM

Central Illinois

why restrict growers to just orange or just size, I could see having to pay to enter both pumpkins

8/29/2016 12:43:48 PM

Ontario

I agree with baitman

8/29/2016 8:05:58 PM

Northville Ny

For Saratoga, we are allowing an exhibition pumpkin to be eligible, but not dmg. More clarification is needed and may be up to each individual site for now. We are awarding a plaque and prize money for 1st place, and are also awarding 2nd and third positions with prize money.

9/23/2016 1:00:13 PM

Northville Ny

Our awards for HD went great- congrats to Andy Wolfe-1st, Ray Fletcher-2nd, & Kathy Adams took 3rd. Went Great. Everyone that entered a pumpkin for the day voted.

9/25/2016 3:03:47 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

In the case of the SOGPG weigh-off at Hamilton during the Operation Pumpkin festival, the sheer number of pumpkins means everything along with having the largest we can get to compete and is the chief reason we allow exhibition only pumpkins to be eligible for the Howard Dill Award. All pumpkins need to be in sound condition in order to be considered for competition of any kind and must have never been previously weighed. We must ensure that Operation Pumpkin receives an ample number of pumpkins for display AND be able to provide the required number of pumpkins for carving on behalf of those who purchase the right to have a pumpkin carved in return for a considerable donation. Personally, I don't think that exhibition only pumpkins in any way demean the value of an HDA, as they are judged as any competition pumpkin would be based on the HDA judging criteria.

10/15/2016 6:58:47 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Simple as this is Prize Money Awarded for HDA.

10/16/2016 6:59:26 PM

Piqua, Ohio

i'very seen a white pumpkin win the HD award.

11/5/2016 7:49:56 PM

Seems pretty simple to me.
A pumpkin on exhibition is there for display purposes only and should not be eligible to win any part of the contest.

8/28/2017 4:51:04 PM