Dick Wettenhall, centre, with runners up Larry Hills and Morgan Blackthorne
DICK Wettenhall has won the annual Wonthaggi-Jeetho West-Gurdies Pumpkin Growing Cup for the second year in a row.
It’s the first time in the 13-year history of the championship that a grower has had to present the trophy to himself.
This year’s variety was Queensland Blue and it proved a difficult task for most growers in a very dry summer.
It’s fortunate that there was a limit of two entries per grower or Dick would have won from first to 20th place. Both his two entries weighed in at over 8kgs but his second entry was rejected by senior judge Liz McDonald on aesthetic grounds as being “too flat”.
Second place went to Larry Hills and third to Morgan Blackthorne.
In his years running The Gurdies Winery, Dick won the Premier’s Prize for Best Victorian Wine but he says nothing comes close to the thrill of winning the Pumpkin Growing Cup.
He gives credit to the rich Gurdies soil and liberal use of wombat poo. His winning entry was marked by animal scratches, he suspects from a giant lace monitor.
Second place went to Larry Hills and third to Morgan Blackthorne.
In his years running The Gurdies Winery, Dick won the Premier’s Prize for Best Victorian Wine but he says nothing comes close to the thrill of winning the Pumpkin Growing Cup.
He gives credit to the rich Gurdies soil and liberal use of wombat poo. His winning entry was marked by animal scratches, he suspects from a giant lace monitor.