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Alex, IN

On twitter yesterday Bayer asked what the largest watermelon was... They said the answer was just 268 pounds from 2005. I sent them a message and told them Chris grew the world record of 350.5 pounds last year. Their reply was that that was never confirmed by Guinness World Records.

I am just wondering if this is true? If this is true did they never confirm Chris's 291 or the 326 grown in Italy?

Thanks,
Mikkal

10/1/2014 11:22:47 AM

formerly RGG

Chris has made it clear he is not interested in recognition by the Guinness World Records organization. I don't know about Mr Bartoli.

10/1/2014 12:00:24 PM

Bethlehem CT

Yeah this has been a real hot button topic. To me the GPC is the governing body for what we do. How long has it been since someone registered a world record Pumpkin,long gourd etc. with Guinness? It seems like to many i's to dot and t's to cross, and for what? We have enough bureaucratic hula hoops in this world. IF you like jumping through them go for it, if not so be it.

10/1/2014 12:42:38 PM

Alaska

The world's heaviest watermelon weighed 121.93 kg (268.8 lb) and was grown by Lloyd Bright (USA) of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, USA in 2005.
Lloyd grew and weighed in for the Annual Hope, Arkansas Big Watermelon Contest on September 3, 2005.

10/1/2014 1:15:57 PM

Garner, NC

If I ever grew a world record, I think I would enjoy dotting the I's and crossing the t's! I however don't see me ever growing a melon that big, but maybe a 70lb lope next year!! Lol

10/1/2014 4:42:23 PM

The North Coast

There is a collection of purists out there that still hold Guinness in high regard. Others today don't. To each their own.

Truth of the matter is that nearly one year ago today the world's largest watermelon crushed the scales in Hamilton, Ohio. Grown by Chris Kent, it weighed an eye popping 350.5 pounds. It was measured and weighed by an accredited group of individuals. It is the world's largest watermelon no question.

If a person wants to know the last melon to register for world record recognition by Guinness then the answer is Mr. Bright...but let there be no confusion.

Here is pretty much a complete video documentation of that most exceptional event. Cheers!

That was a great melon Chris. Great job!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQoC-rmh_KQ

10/1/2014 4:54:28 PM

Princeton Kentucky

N8, good post, but I'm not so sure its a "Purist" thing happening here. Seems more of a E U Political Fairness/Equality/Jealousy agenda at play hence the kg before the lb entry & the constant badgering. This is the U S of A & last time I checked over here State side GPC results are refered in Pounds. One straight forward question to anyone who believes that Chris has not grown the current world record watermelon via guinness or no guiness blessing is as follows: Do you as a human being in realtime hear on this planet acknowledge that in 2013 Chris Kent grew, then had "judged, weighed and documented" in front of many, many witnesses a Watermelon weighing 350.5 "POUNDS"? If anyone answers Yes then you in fact acknowledge the 350.5 Kent Melon is the heaviest watermelon grown & documented in the World to date and time of this post, guinness or no guinness blessing. If you answer no then I better go out and check the level of gas in my truck because when I filled it up this afternoon I didn't have an official from guinness to sign off on it. Only the automatic static relay on the stations pump and my gas gauge reading full. I just knew I forgot something when I left the house,lol. I'll get guinness on voice command to make it easier. No animals were harmed during the posting of this message, well unless I refer you to the kitten that just knocked the router of the computor desk and then she only got put in time out,lol. No insult met here to anyone, just common sence to everyone.

10/1/2014 8:25:09 PM

Garner, NC

To each his own, but I remember being a kid and reading the book and thinking how cool everything was. I put more faith in world records on the shoulders of the GPC, but not very many kids keep up with the GPC, so for nothing else, I say to all world record holders, do it for all the kids out there. That is, if kids still read books, lol

10/1/2014 8:52:19 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Mikkal, In case you didn't realize, Bayers comments are goverened by there location. Bayer Business Services are headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany. Very Guinness friendly. Food for thought when it comes to the "sterilized" deluge from their PR managers.

10/1/2014 8:53:50 PM

Muddy Waters

We know the truth what has been grown.I for one dont need a book to confirm what I already know.The internet will make the Guinness book obsolete in short time.So really who cares?

10/1/2014 9:16:07 PM

sevierville, Tn

i read Guinness WR books too as a kid. I thought they were great, i loved any kind of fact,science,who , what, where books. We have a Guinness atraction here in gatlinburg and i have been there several times, so i like what they do.
What is Bayer ???

LOL pumpkingoober !!

Hey joseph, what happened to the crazy graft of the Cushaw/melon??

10/1/2014 9:51:49 PM

Lloydminster/AB

It seems to me that Guinness appointed themselves keeper of world records. If they want to be relevant, then its they that should be doing the work of keeping track of records. IF they don't have don't have the proper record in their book then it's their problem that they are wrong. Mikkal, I would have asked them what Guinness had to do with anything. Bubba I absolutly agree!

10/1/2014 10:03:25 PM

Home of happy lil plants

this is like saying does the great pumpkin really exist to me



clearly it does :)


but im waiting for the great watermelon this year

10/1/2014 10:31:26 PM

Alex, IN

Heck I told them that Chris grew the record and their exact response was not according to Guinness! LOL Just got me thinking and wanted to find out the reasons behind what I was told. I got my answer. Thanks!

10/1/2014 11:47:00 PM

Grant, AL

If Guinness wants to ever be relevant again then they should have a Rep at ALL GPC events just in case someone breaks the watermelon or pumpkin WR. Chris did enough work growing that monster he shouldn't have to notify them of it, they should have had someone there to witness it. I feel like if Guinness is ever going to be the authority that they once were on WR then they are going to have to be more proactive.

10/1/2014 11:48:30 PM

Bethlehem CT

Like most boys growing up in the 80's, I loved the Guinness book of world records. I can remember checking it out of the library many times. It was one of the few books I had any interest in reading.

10/2/2014 7:50:39 AM

50 Acres

My wife volunteers at a local school library, Guinness books are the most popular.

10/2/2014 8:58:19 AM

sevierville, Tn

BTW , what would scott have to complain about if i did get in the book?? LOL... Scott , do you have any thing else to do in the off season ??

10/2/2014 12:43:34 PM

sevierville, Tn

oh yea now i remember, grafting, right scott ????

10/2/2014 12:45:00 PM

Alaska

It's easy peeze! Go online signup and get a member ID number. It always helps to file an attempt beforehand. Again online tell them you will be attempting to break the whatever record and approximately when the attempt will be made. They will respond by telling you who the current WR holder is, what the record weight is, when and where it was broken. They will also send you their "Guidelines Info". Meaning what all verification is being requested. Don't be intimidated. The more you send the better your chances are of being accepted.
If you're gonna use Guinness as your reference then be respectful and apply. You don't see Guinness's holding bake sales, raffles and seeds auctions to keep afloat. While many local clubs come and go. Guinness IMHO is here to stay. They are the keeper of the records always have and always will be. IMHO.
I hope this helps anyone down the road who wants to do it right and help keep the records book straight current and up to date.
This posting is not for all of you Rebels Without A Cause!

10/2/2014 2:36:24 PM

Long Island,New York

I heard somewhere its not Guinness approved because it was a graft or it wasn't attempted because it was grafted and wouldn't be accepted. But, I don't remember where I heard that and Admittedly don't know much about melons.

10/2/2014 4:46:23 PM

Indiana

I'm a nobody on here, but it seems pretty simple in the fact that Chris grew a watermelon and it weighed 350.5 pounds making it the biggest watermelon ever grown. Case closed its the world record.
Just my two cents.

10/2/2014 4:54:22 PM

Karns City PA

Right on Chill I totally agree 350.5 Kent World Record :)

10/2/2014 5:54:11 PM

Wixom MI.

I use to think that guinness seeked out to find the records and kepted the records updated as current as possible instead of us chasing them down. Now I question their credibility on any of their records in their book if this is how they collect their information for the records ? Getting information for pumpkin records and watermellon records in our form is so easy that in my view their is no excuse for guiness not to keep updated with the records !

10/2/2014 6:09:20 PM

Bethlehem CT

Bryan Malley already did the leg work, it looks like Guinness will accept grafts. Here is what Bryan said;
"I was tired of hearsay regarding what Guinness would accept as the worlds heaviest watermelon... grafted or not grafted... So, I applied myself this year.

My application specifically said I was going to attempt to grow the World's heaviest watermelon by grafting a watermelon plant to the root stock of a gourd plant to achieve a better root system.

It took about 10 weeks for a reply.... here is what they said.... in nutshell.... Good Luck!!

Membership Number: 370449
Dear Mr Bryan Mailey,

Thank you for your application to attempt the record ‘Heaviest Watermelon'.

Guinness World Records is pleased to confirm that your record application has been accepted. In this email should be all the information you need to proceed with attempting a Guinness World Records title.

The record you have applied for is: ’Heaviest watermelon’.

The current record (current as at the date of this letter) is: The world's heaviest watermelon weighed 121.93 kg (268.8 lb) and was grown by Lloyd Bright (USA) of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, USA in 2005.

This is the current record, as of today, but records are being attempted and achieved every day. If the above record is broken Guinness World Records will not email you to inform of the new record. It is your responsibility to check with us to confirm the current record that you have to beat before making your attempt.

Your Record Guidelines

Guinness World Records is pleased to provide you with the specific Record Guidelines for Heaviest watermelon and we wish you the best of luck in your record attempt."

10/2/2014 6:40:31 PM

Wixom MI.

Since 2005 the watermellon record has been broken at least 18 times and guiness has not recognised any of them. Disapointed in their efforts in keeping records at all !!!

10/2/2014 6:57:05 PM

Bethlehem CT

Good point wixom.

10/2/2014 7:18:55 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

The way I see it, Guinness keeps records for activities/sports/etc. that don't have their own sanctioning body. Records for home runs, no-hitters are kept by Major League Records for touchdowns, sacks, interceptions are kept by the NFL. Records for pumpkins, melons, squash, long gourds, tomatoes is kept by the GPC. If you want to know the record for longest fingernails, or most people stuffed in a Yugo and other trivia, go to Guinness.

10/2/2014 7:23:14 PM

Bethlehem CT

Times are a changing, it used to be that a book was needed to unify the world's records. Now all that information can be found in a few minutes, from anywhere in the world.

10/2/2014 7:25:17 PM

Alaska

That's true big moon but don't believe everything you read online lol!

10/2/2014 7:32:00 PM

South Arkansas

Guinness is a premium beer sold worldwide. One way the company promotes the label name is through reporting records of everyday things as well as unusual things while not directly promoting their product. Their interest in records is name recognition for their product by as many people as possible. In the process, they give recognition to people who otherwise would get little or no recognition. They don't directly sponsor contests and usually do not send agents to contests. This year was the forty-second year for me to plant the current type of giant watermelons that competitive growers grow. I don't recall ever using a Guinness product but I have benefited greatly from their promotion of records and record holders. I grew up in the big watermelon culture in South Arkansas and enjoy growing watermelons whether they become records or don't become records. Growers in the Eastern United States have lots of GPC weigh-off sites and likely have less interest in applying for Guinness records. I do hope people will start applying again. With that said, if you are traveling through Arkansas on I-30 and have an interest in trying the Guinness product, do stop at Lucky Liquor at Exit 73. The owner is one of those guys with a Guinness record and he has benefited greatly from holding the record for a few years.

10/2/2014 9:48:11 PM

Home of happy lil plants

42nd year!!! Growing the Carolina cross! Good grief!


That To has to be a record

10/2/2014 10:12:41 PM

Freedom Is Just Another Word For Noting Left To Lose

You're not under any obligation to believe anything you hear or read. But considering your situation, the moon landing wouldn't have occurred if it weren't in the Guinness Book of World Records.

10/2/2014 11:23:11 PM

formerly RGG

This subject has been run into the ground on this and a few other threads.No one seems to be changing their mind and probably no one will. Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree.

10/3/2014 7:53:36 AM

Bellevue, Ohio

link to Guinness site for pumpkins
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-1/heaviest-pumpkin/
A year behind

10/3/2014 9:24:54 AM

Bowdon, GA

Don't worry Chris he always has something to complain about.

10/3/2014 9:34:34 AM

Madisonville, TN

If I ever break a world record, I think I'll register mine with Miller or Corona. Maybe even Sam Adams. They have pumpkin ale.

10/3/2014 5:39:47 PM

Madisonville, TN

If I ever break a world record, I think I'll register mine with Miller or Corona. Maybe even Sam Adams. They have pumpkin ale.

10/3/2014 5:39:48 PM

Muddy Waters

Now spudley this rebel has a cause and it ain't to land in a dying book

10/6/2014 7:20:16 PM

Muddy Waters

Now spudley this rebel has a cause and it ain't to land in a dying book

10/6/2014 7:21:38 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Guinness is definitely doing themselves a great disservice by not recognizing verified weights. Let them die out if that is their mission. They are irrelevant in our hobby as far as I'm concerned.

10/6/2014 8:45:51 PM