WHEATLAND, CA (MPG) - Sheri Retzlaff choked softly as the wheels of her forklift kicked dry brown dust into the air. The day was hot despite it being the end of September, and at 2 p.m. the sun was at its peak. All around her, people dressed in orange crowded into shaded corners patiently waiting for the next Atlantic Giant to be weighed.

Retzlaff had been given an important task. One by one, she touted some of the nation's largest pumpkins to the grand scale to solidify its weight and placement at the National Pumpkin Weigh Off.

This event, now hosted at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland, stands as the arbiter of pumpkin culture and offers the world's highest prize pool to participating growers across the United States and Canada. The weigh offs came to Bishop’s last year with Dave Chan of Vancouver, Canada taking home $19,908 for his 2,212-pound pumpkin. The world record, however, is still held by Travis Gienger of Minnesota for a pumpkin that weighed in at 2,749 pounds.

Nevertheless, the stakes were high this year with two Oregon pumpkins vying for both a state record and a shot at the world record. With just a half inch difference in circumference, fans waited with bated breath to see if they would be a part of history in the making.

It all came down between Russ Pugh and Jim Sherwood. Ironically, Pugh’s previous best was his 2023 pumpkin that weighed in at 2,023 pounds. This year, he beat his own record by 278 pounds. Sherwood, on the other hand, won out at 2,453 pounds, his own personal best. His pumpkin was grown in a greenhouse and periodically injected with CO2. As this year's first-place winner, Sherwood was awarded $9-per-pound, resulting in a total grand prize of $22,017.

Unfortunately, neither Sherwood nor Pugh’s pumpkin weighed enough to beat the current Oregon state record held at 2,469 pounds by Steve Daletas, so it looks like Gienger’s world record is safe for another year.

Even still, the top five heaviest squashes were left on display for farm goers to enjoy with their weight and placement as follows:

Jim Sherwood of Mulino, Oregon, with a pumpkin that weighed 2,453 pounds and was nicknamed “Hank the Tank.”

Russ Pugh of Eugene, Oregon, with a pumpkin that weighed 2,301 pounds.

Madison Thomson of Penn Valley with a pumpkin that weighed 1,991 pounds.

Jake Leonard of Rocklin with a pumpkin that weighed 1,950 pounds.

Ruben Castro of American Canyon with a pumpkin that weighed 1,634 pounds.