Gourd-geous! British grandfather smashes world’s biggest pumpkin record… again
Ian Paton, a 65-year-old from Hampshire, has broken the world record for the largest pumpkin ever grown, weighing 2,856.8lb (1,295.8kg), equivalent to a female hippopotamus. This is particularly notable as it marks his first record-breaking achievement after ending his half-century-long growing partnership with his brother Stuart, who decided to travel the world.
Paton dedicated up to six hours daily for two months to cultivate the giant gourd, which grew approximately 1.5 feet in all directions each day. The pumpkin was weighed at the Wargrave Nursery Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off in Berkshire on Saturday. Notably, Paton now holds the record for growing the three heaviest pumpkins ever recorded; previously, he and his brother together had grown five of the top ten heaviest pumpkins in the world and won three world championships and ten European championships as a pair.
- Hampshire gardener grows heaviest pumpkin ever recorded at 2,856.8lb
- First record since ending 50-year partnership with brother Stuart
- Now owns the three heaviest pumpkins in world history
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Competitive pumpkin growing is an internationally recognised pursuit, with official weight records and world championships. Enthusiasts worldwide spend months cultivating increasingly massive specimens, treating the endeavour with the seriousness of any competitive sport.
Ian Paton is a 65-year-old from Hampshire who established himself as one of the world's most successful competitive pumpkin growers. For fifty years, he worked in partnership with his brother Stuart, and together they won multiple world championships and European titles, becoming renowned for consistently producing record-breaking specimens.
Stuart recently decided to leave the partnership to travel the world, meaning Paton is now pursuing competitive pumpkin growing as a solo competitor. This ends their decades-long working relationship.