Press Release
27 February 2016

Heidelberg, Western Cape, South Africa
The Giant Pumpkin Festival and Mountain Bike Race

27 February 2016

Husband and Wife time win big at Giant Pumpkin Festival in Heidelberg, Western Cape

Local Heidelberg Farmer Lourens van Deventer scooped up first prize for the largest pumpkin with a massive weight of 373kg at the Heidelberg Giant Pumpkin Festival and Mountain Bike Race.

In second place with a pumpkin 354.5kg was Theresa van Deventer, wife of Lourens van Deventer and in third place Ronèl Swart with 342.5 kg – proving that the art of growing a giant pumpkin is not just a man’s sport.

Adding drama to the event was the fact that last year’s champion Pinkie Swart from Heidelberg had to withdraw just days before the competition because of a rotten pumpkin. Pinkie is currently still the South African record holder with a giant pumpkin weighing in at 497.5 kg.

Billy Stelling wins 80 km MTB XC Race at the Giant Pumpkin Festival and Mountain Bike Race in Heidelberg, Western Cape

For this year’s festival, a Mountain Bike race was also incorporated and was a massive success, with riders from all over the world competing

Billy Stelling took first place for the 80 km MTB XC Race and Pieter Gildenhuys and Johan Fourie were second and third place respectively. In the 80km, the first woman was Marie – Claude Baars all the way from Switzerland and in second place Inky Tailbut and in third place was Belinda Knowles.

The festival was a great success and was well attended by the local community and visitors the SABC providing televison coverage.

The Festival is a not for profit event and creates temporary jobs for the local community. The key purpose is to promote the town of Heidelberg WC. Among the beneficiaries are the local feeding sceme and the local old age home Huis Zenobia Du Toit.

We would like to thank the following Sponsors who are responsible for the huge success of the 2016 Festival.
Shoprite Checkers, WESGRO, Starke Ayres, SSK, Spar Heidelberg, Hessequa Municipality, Hessequa Abbatoir, Arista Boerdery, Delish, JC Slagtery, 3@1 Riversdal, MTools, Grootvadersbosch Conservancy, Terason, Laeveld Agrochem, SAKATA, Riversdal Toyota, Lekker Kampplekke, Pedal Power Association, Cycle works Riversdale, Raceinterface and Pieter ‘Takkies’ Uys

We would also like to thank the following people for meat and individual contributions:

Sinon de Jager, Lafras Uys, Kobus (Koerie) Uys, Michael John Keyser, Gerbrandt Rademan, Piet (Skaap) Gildenhuys, Martin Gildenhuys, Alfred Rademan, Coetzee Uys, Lood van Deventer, Hoppies Hopkins, Hendrik Pieter Stighling, Johannes Gildenhuys
Pieter (Kapkamma) Uys, Pannie Fourie and Charl Rademan.

For more go to www.pumpkinfestival.co.za

Official Press release by The Giant Pumpkin Festival and MTB XC Race 2016

Heidelberg, Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika
Die Groot Pampoenfees en MTB XC Wedren

27 Februarie 2016

Egpaar neem louere by die Groot Pampoenfees te Heidelberg, Wes-Kaap

‘n Plaaslike boer van Heidelberg, Lourens van Deventer het hierdie jaar met die louere weggestap met ‘n bielie van ‘n pampoen by die Groot Pampoenfees wat jaarliks by Heidelberg Wes-Kaap aangebied word. Sy pampoen het ingeweeg met ‘n massiewe gewig van 373kg.

In die tweede plek, met ‘n gewig van 354.5kg was Lourens van Deventer se vrou, Theresa van Deventer. Die derde posisie het ook gegaan aan ‘n vrou, Ronèl Swart met 342.5kg – wat dus ‘n duidelike aanduiding gee dat pampoene kweek nie net vir mans beskore is nie!

Ongelukkig moes die 2015 kampioen, Pinkie Swart van Heidelberg sy pampoen hierdie jaar enkele dae voor die aanvang van die kompetisie onttrek, aangesien die pampoen gevrot het. Pinkie Swart is steeds die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse rekordhouer met sy vorige pampoen wat ingeweeg het op ‘n allemintige 497.5 kg.

Billy Stelling wen die 80 km MTB XC Wedren by die Groot Pampoenfees te Heidelberg, Wes-Kaap.

Hierdie jaar het die fees ook ‘n MTB XC wedren aangebied en was ‘n groot sukses. Fietsryers van reg oor die wêreld het aan die wedren kom deelneem.

Billy Stelling het die eerste plek geneem in die 80 km MTB XC Wedren met Pieter Gildenhuys en Johan Fourie onderskeidelik in tweede en derde plekke. In die 80km, was die eerste dame Marie – Claude Baars, wat al die pad vanaf Switzerland kom deelneem het aan die wedren. Die tweede plek het gegaan aan Inky Tailbut en Belinda Knowles het die derde posisie geneem.

Die Pampoenfees was ‘n groot sukses en is goed ondersteun deur die plaaslike gemeenskap sowel as die SAUK wat blootstelling aan die geleentheid gebied het.

Die Pampoenfees word as ‘n nie-winsgewende organisasie bedryf en heelwat tydelike werksgeleenthede word geskep vir lede van die plaaslike gemeenskap. Die hoofdoel van die fees is dan ook om die dorp, Heidelberg, te bemark. Van die huidige begunstigdes van die fees is die plaaslike voedingskema sowel as die ouetehuis, Huis Zenobia Du Toit.

Ons sal graag die volgende borge wil bedank wat bygedra het tot die reuse sukses van die 2016 Pampoenfees:

Shoprite Checkers, WESGRO, Starke Ayres, SSK, Spar Heidelberg, Hessequa Munisipaliteit, Hessequa Abbatoir, Arista Boerdery, Delish, JC Slagtery, 3@1 Riversdal, MTools, Grootvadersbosch Conservancy, Terason, Laeveld Agrochem, SAKATA, Riversdal Toyota, Lekker Kampplekke, Pedal Power Association, Cycleworks Riversdale, Raceinterface en Pieter ‘Takkies’ Uys

Ons sal ook graag die volgende individue bedank vir vleisskenkings en ander bydraes:

Sinon de Jager, Lafras Uys, Kobus (Koerie) Uys, Michael John Keyser, Gerbrandt Rademan, Piet (Skaap) Gildenhuys, Martin Gildenhuys, Alfred Rademan, Coetzee Uys, Lood van Deventer, Hoppies Hopkins, Hendrik Pieter Stighling, Johannes Gildenhuys, Pieter (Kapkamma) Uys, Pannie Fourie en Charl Rademan.

Vir meer inligting oor die Pampoenfees – besoek gerus www.pumpkinfestival.co.za