Top Pumpkin Winners for 2012
photo by Sandra Turner
Pumpkins
Jimmy Sowers, Sanford, KY - 657.4 pounds
Dennis Masterson, Knoxville, TN - 585.2 pounds
Gale Newsom and Robert Burkett, Lexington, NC - 579.2 pounds
(Prettiest Pumpkin)
Green Squash
Gale Newsom and Robert Burkett, Lexington, NC - 644.8 pounds
Freddie Burcham, Ashland City, TN - (weight to come)
Susie Zerner, Arden, NC - 274.6 pounds
Watermelons
Bill Neptune of New Concord, OH - 266.6 pounds
Gale Newsom, Pinnacle, NC - 221.20 pounds
Gary Burcham, Ashland City, TN - 209.8 pounds
The pumpkin on the scales above was entered by Gary Valkenand
of Allardt and weighed 555 pounds.
photo by Sandra Turner
2012 Winning Pumpkin
Jimmy Sowers, Stanford, KY - 657.4 pounds
Interviewed by Festival King Bill Bowden, Editor and Publisher
of the Fentress Courier weekly newspaper
2012 Festival King and Queen,
Bill and Betty Bowden
photos by Sandra Turner
2012 Festival King and Queen, Bill and Betty Bowden with pageant queens.
The Bowdens have covered every pumpkin festival as Editor and Publisher
and Office Manager of the Fentress Courier
Bill and Betty Bowden are both life-long residents of Fentress
County and have been involved in community activities for most
of their adult lives.
After high school in 1963 Bill began working for the Fentress
County Leader-Times and worked there until 1986 when the Fentress
Courier was established, and he became Editor and Publisher,
a position he has held since that time.
Betty joined her husband in the establishment of the Fentress
Courier in 1986 and has served in the capacity of the office
manager since that time.
Both Bill and Betty have been active in community and civic
work for more than 40 years, through the Jaycees in their younger
years and later the Rotary Club. Bill currently serves as a Director
of the Fentress County Utility District. Betty formerly served
on the York Institute Advisory Board.
In his role as newspaper editor, Bill has also covered the
Allardt Great Pumpkin Festival every year since its beginning.
They are members of the Jamestown First United Methodist Church.
Just recently they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
They are the proud parents of two daughters, Billie Jean Hudson
of Knoxville and Heather Tinch of Cookeville and four grandchildren.
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GPC Weigh-off Site
