By DAVID AMEY
The Herald

Wednesday was the day a dream came true for Ken Speakman of Circleville whose specially bred pumpkin won the Circleville Pumpkin Show's Giant Pumpkin Weigh-in by 20 pounds over Buddy Conley of South Bloomingville.

The local title has been a quest of six years for Speakman, who was bitten by the bug to grow Giants when his son, Jeff Miller, acquired seeds during the Pumpkin Show for his dad.

The first crop crested 100 pounds, Speakman said, and last year's crop included several over 1,100 pounds. "It was a gradual thing, but now I'm hooked. I live with them," he said.

Speakman's backyard pumpkin patch boasted not only the current Pumpkin Show winner, but also the winner of the Southern Ohio Giant Pumpkin Growers Club in Chillicothe Oct. 1 by his grandson Caleb Miller, a 14-year-old freshman at Circleville High School.

And, in Wednesday's weigh-off, Speakman also took fourth place with an 875 pounder and Miller placed fourth with an 885.5 pound entry.

The team of Conley and Karen Wiget claimed second and third place with entries of 931.5 pounds and 924 pounds.

The 1,000 pound benchmark was not reached this year by local growers because of excessively hot temperatures and lack of rainfall.

Most growers rely on measurements to determine their chance of success at weigh offs, and Conley said three other pumpkins he harvested early in the year weighed 100 pounds more than their measurements.

Darryl Crosby, who entered an 833 pounder, said he grew a pumpkin that measured 800 pounds by the end of July. However, they pumpkin was damaged and could not continue to be grown.

The weigh in process began at 10 a.m. this year and featured a record 49 entries before its conclusion after 2 p.m.

The scales to weigh the Giants were provided by Brechbuhler Scales Inc. and Hill Implement and MH Equipment provided the motorized transportation equipment.

Members of the Circleville High School basketball team of Coach Eddie Sims were perched on the platform to arrange the display of the Giants.

Local growers, most members of the Circleville Giant Pumpkin Growers Club, are offering seeds for sale to individuals who want to begin their personal quest.

The Nancy Martin Award for the prettiest Giant will be held 10:45 a.m. Friday at the Court and Main display, according to Jo Liggett, who announced the weigh-off.