Oregon man wins Half Moon Bay pumpkin contest

[October 09, 2012]  HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) -- A grower from Oregon is the winner of this year's Half Moon Bay giant pumpkin contest with a gourd weighing in at 1,775 pounds.

Forty-five-year-old Thad Starr from Pleasant Hill, Ore., set a contest record with his pumpkin Monday, beating last year's winner by 71 pounds.

Starr, who has won the contest twice before, said he plans to use the $10,650 in prize money to take his family to Disneyland.

His pumpkin will be on display this weekend at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.

The runner-up came in at 1,521 pounds. That pumpkin is also expected to be on display this weekend.

[Associated Press]

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