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    2007 WEIGH-OFF RESULTS

    Half Moon Bay Record Crushed in Pumpkin Weigh-Off
    Oregon Grower Adds Nearly 300 Pounds to Record


Thad Starr celebrates his record-breaking win
Thad Starr celebrates his record-breaking win

Starr with his gargantuan gourd
Starr with his gargantuan gourd

Starr shares his growing secrets with the media
Starr shares his growing secrets with the media

HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA, October 8, 2007 – Thad Starr's star is rising. In just his second year of growing competition pumpkins, the stay-at-home father from Pleasant Hill, OR squashed the previous Half Moon Bay record by nearly 300 pounds at today's 34th annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California.

Starr handily defeated the field of seventy heavyweight growers to take home $9,144 and a "starring role" in this weekend's Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival where his gargantuan gourd will be on display along with the top five overall from the weigh-off during this west coast pumpkin mecca's popular celebration of the great gourd. With a total of ten pumpkins weighing in at more than 1,000-pounds, it was easily Half Moon Bay's deepest and most impressive field of contenders in history.

Another record went down with local legend "Farmer John" Muller crushing the San Mateo County mark with his gorgeous 814-pounder, pocketing $500. Portola Valley's Eric Carlson won the audience-judged "Most Beautiful Pumpkin" award based on color, shape and size.

The grand champion gourd along with the top five overall will be proudly displayed at this weekend's Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 13-14, 2007 (Saturday and Sunday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in Half Moon Bay, California. Results follow:

2007 WEIGH-OFF RESULTS
OPEN DIVISION
1st Thad Starr, Pleasant Hill OR 1,524 lbs. $9,144.
2nd Joel Holland, Puyallup WA 1,384 lbs. $2,000.
3rd Jim Sherwood, Mulino OR 1,343 lbs. $1,500.
4th Leonardo Urena, Napa CA 1,292 lbs. $1,000.
5th Steve Daletas, Pleasant Hill OR 1,203 lbs. $  500.
6th Pete Glasier, Napa CA 1,158 lbs. $  500.
7th Cindi Glasier, Napa CA 1,116 lbs. $  500.
8th Pam Vanderschoot, Napa CA 1,094 lbs. $  500.
9th Amanda & Vince Zunino, Los Altos Hills CA 1,069 lbs. $  500.
10th Lee Hudson, Napa CA 1,059 lbs. $  500.
SAN MATEO COUNTY DIVISION
1st John Muller, Half Moon Bay CA 814 lbs. $  500.
2nd Jerry Bello, Half Moon Bay CA 590 lbs. $  300.
3rd Eda Muller, Half Moon Bay CA 563 lbs. $  200.
SPECIAL PRIZES:
Most Beautiful Pumpkin
Eric Carlson, Portola Valley CA
$  500.
Biggest from State of California
Leonardo Urena, Napa CA 1,292 lbs. $1,000.
Biggest from the Coastside
John Muller, Half Moon Bay CA 814 lbs. $  500.
Biggest from a San Mateo County Farm Bureau Member
James Martin, Hayward CA 977 lbs. $  500.

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