2,000 pound pumpkins win weigh-off for the giant pumpkin contest at NC State Fair

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Giant pumpkins and watermelons were front and center when they hit the scales at the weigh-off for the N.C. State Fair Great Pumpkin/Watermelon competition.

There were 21 pumpkins and 13 watermelons registered in the competition.

This year, two pumpkins weighed more than 2,000 pounds each.

Albert Rodebaugh of Craigsville, West Virginia, placed first with a 2,244.5-pound pumpkin, setting a record for the N.C. State Fair.

Terry Nelson of Thomas, WV, came in second with a 2,114.5-pound pumpkin.

Steve Hall of Convington, Virginia, placed third and won the Howard Dill Award for best-looking pumpkin for his 1,511.1-pound pumpkin.

In the North Carolina-only competition, the winning pumpkin was grown by the Donald Murphy family of Pink Hill and weighed 682.6 pounds.

David Allen of Garysburg placed second with a 577.4-pound pumpkin and Mark Rollins of Clyde placed third with a 307.7-pound pumpkin.

In the watermelon competition, Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee, placed first with his 288.6-pound watermelon.

H.C. Williams of Bailey placed second with his 245-pound pumpkin. Theron Ray of Bailey placed third with his 230.9-pound watermelon.

The top three winners in pumpkins took home between $1.50 and $3 per pound. The top three winners in watermelons were awarded between $3 and $6 per pound.

A $2,500 bonus will be paid to any world record-breaking watermelon. The current record is 350.5 pounds. The winners will be displayed in the Agri Supply Expo Center.