Best Top Ten Average
This award goes to the site with the best top 10 average from all Premium GPC sites. All fruit, regardless of color, are eligible for the top ten considerations. All rules explained in Article II apply.
Most Improved Site
This award will go to the site with the biggest percentage increase in the top ten average weight gain over the previous The sites must have ten qualifying pumpkins in both years to calculate this average.
Grower of the Year Award
This award will be given to the grower or “team” (as defined within Article 2, Section 1 of the GPC Rules) who accumulates the most total pounds combined from three official fruit weighed at multiple sanctioned GPC events (only Premium registration levels will be eligible for this award).
The GPC will recognize the top three official fruit entered at a minimum of two separate sanctioned GPC events, providing the two fruits weighed at the same event are one pumpkin and one squash. A grower may enter in more than two GPC events but only the three heaviest fruit will count. The grower must be present with their fruit at all events to be eligible.
Grower Gen 2 Jackets & Patches
- Jackets will be awarded to pumpkins weighing 2200# for the current calendar year. A grower will only be awarded one Gen 2 Jacket; in following years patches will be awarded to the grower to add to their jacket with the same weight class requirements. These patches will denote the weight class achieved for that year.
- 4,300- pound club – Awarded to the grower who accumulates a total of 4,300 pounds of pumpkins, squash, or combination of each between their three heaviest fruit, following the same rules as the “Grower of the Year” award. The prize is a patch that can be sewn onto the grower’s jacket. If a grower makes it into the 4,300 pound club without previously being awarded a grower Gen 2 Jacket, they will be awarded one for making the 4,300 pound club.
- Top Growers in other recognized fruit/vegetable categories – The top growers within each recognized fruit/vegetable category will now be awarded with a current year’s patch for their grower’s jacket. If the grower does not have a GPC Gen 2 Jacket, they will be awarded a new Gen 2 jacket. These categories include Squash, Field Pumpkins, Tomatoes, Long Gourds, Watermelons, Bushel Gourd, and Marrow.
Master Gardener
Team Growing is Included
- The GPC is introducing a new master gardener scoring system based on points per weight (or length for long gourds) starting this season!
- This new system is designed to be more fair and equitable within and among fruit classes, such that classes with fewer or more growers can be weighted appropriately.
- This is a scoring system like the Olympic decathlon, where each time or distance is assigned a score value. This system is more equitable than the rank scores used in the past because it’s set up for all fruit to be on a similar playing field. (As opposed to top-down or bottom-up rank scoring, which can over- or under-weight less popular classes). In the point per pound system, a fruit, at the top 10% (90th percentile) of the general field for its class is set to equal 35 points.
- This then allows scoring parity across all fruit classes. Regardless of the number of growers who chose to grow in each class, a comparably large fruit will be rewarded appropriately (and conversely, small fruit with high rankings will receive appropriately balanced scores.)
- This also sets up more equitable scoring within each class. e.g., a 2002 lb and 2001 lb AG in first and second place will get nearly the same points (48.05 points and 48.02 points). Whereas a 2002 lb first place and 1600 lb second place will earn much different scores, where the second place is worth 38.40 points. In the old system, both situations would earn 47 and 46 points (in a field of 47 growers).
- The point per pound system should be fairly stable over a several-year period and shouldn’t need changing. The plan would be to leave the points per pound as they are year over year to allow year-to-year comparisons. However, if one class really starts to outperform, adjustments could be made to the scoring between seasons
- An additional benefit is that the pre-season clarity of the scoring system would allow growers to clearly assess where they would fall in the ranking system given their past results. This might encourage more growers to give the master gardener a try. While steadfast repeat growers should enjoy the benefits of tracking/estimating their scores mid-season as often as they choose rather than waiting until the season is well over and scores are calculated to see how they did. Points per pound also creates scores that don’t depend on the total number of growers, which again makes for a long-term comparable scoring system, possibly allowing official world records to be established for Master Gardener.
- As before, scores are determined by adding up a grower’s top 5 scoring classes. A grower must have at least one official entry in at least 5 classes to compete.
- A calculator will be made available in English and metric units, so that master gardener contenders can easily track their own score through the season (as well as compare your scores to last year to see how you’re doing) – That should add to the fun
- We hope this clarity and transparency in scoring will also bring new perspective Master Gardener contenders off the sidelines when they are able to estimate a score based on their past results. For reference, a score of 110 to 125 is an average score, while 200+ is an excellent score.
- We expect to use this scale for years to come.
Regional Champions
- European
- Southern Hemisphere
- Canadian
- United States
- Asian
Other Recognized Categories
- Squash
- Long gourd
- Tomato
- Watermelon
- Field Pumpkin
- Bushel Gourd
- Marrow