Half-ton pumpkin wins N.Y. competition

CLARENCE, N.Y., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania man whose 1,040.5-pound pumpkin won the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Clarence, N.Y., says the key to his success is water -- lots of it.

Mike Matto of Bradford, Pa., came out on top in the 27th annual World Pumpkin Confederation competition at the Clarence Fall Festival, defeating his nearest pumpkin rivals by 75 pounds, The Buffalo (N.Y.) News said Sunday.

Matto's pumpkin fell short of the 1,075-pound pumpkin that earned Clarence resident Karl Haist a Weigh-Off title in 2008. Despite Matto's assertion that lots of water helped him grow the prize winner, World Pumpkin Confederation founder Ray Waterman said pumpkins generally had a tough year in 2009 because there was too much rain.

"Pumpkins need heat and sun." he told the newspaper.

Waterman said some pumpkins reach 2,000 pounds.