Mitre 10’s hunt for New Zealand’s biggest pumpkin is over

23 March 2016

Mitre 10’s hunt for New Zealand’s biggest pumpkin is over

New Plymouth’s Spotswood Primary has won the coveted grand national prize in the Mitre 10 Easy As Kids BIG Pumpkin Contest, growing a pumpkin that weighed in at a whopping 161.4kg.

The enormous plant edged out a large number of other impressive pumpkins and was deemed the winner after results were compared following weigh-ins at Mitre 10 and Mitre 10 MEGA stores across the country on Sunday 20 March.

Mitre 10 MEGA New Plymouth store manager Phillip Rose was thrilled to see the school take out the grand national prize.

“We really had to put our backs into lifting this one – it was enormous, so I’m not surprised it proved to be the country’s biggest,” Mr Rose said. “It’s been fantastic to see so many young gardeners out there having fun and learning what it takes to nurture their own plants.”

Young gardeners across the country have been busy putting their green fingers to work since the competition opened in October last year, planting, watering and treating their creations.

The 161.4kg was the largest pumpkin recorded in the three years that Mitre 10 has held the contest. In a close second this year was Gabriella Hall of Napier with a 152kg pumpkin, followed in third by Eric Ebelthite of Pukekohe with a 132kg plant.

Mitre 10’s General Manager Marketing Dave Elliott was delighted to see so many kids across the country get involved.

“Yet again, we’re blown away by what our entrants have been able to produce,” Mr Elliott said. “It’s great to see so many youngsters get stuck in and test the limits of their gardening skills.”

At Sunday’s weigh-in there were prizes for the biggest at each store, as well as awards for ugliest and best-dressed. Winners were presented with a range of prizes, including Prezzy cards and medals.

This year’s competition is the third edition of the contest and it returned to the excitement of young gardeners after a break in 2015.

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