ANOKA, Minn. — Editor's Note: This video originally aired on Oct. 10, 2023.
Oh my gourd! Have you ever seen a pumpkin this big?
Travis Gienger, of Anoka, has raised what he hopes will be a world-record-setting pumpkin and he is en route to California to see if he can win the title.
In 2023, Gienger won the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off in Half Moon Bay, Calif. with a 2,749 pound behemoth. The pumpkin - dubbed Michael Jordan after the basketball legend - not only won the competition but broke the world record.
On Monday, this year's behemoth pumpkins will go head to head for the 2024 Championship. Gienger's submission - named Rudy - has not been weighed before the competition, according to a social media post.
Let's be clear, this is not just for bragging rights: For the winning grower, there's a prize of $9 per pound with an additional $30,000 for a world-record pumpkin.