Dwellingup local Alex Ashcroft has won numerous titles for woodchopping, but next Saturday he will set out for a very different kind of record: the most pumpkins smashed in one minute.
The pumpkin-smashing event is a new addition to the annual Dwellingup Pumpkin Festival, which will be held on April 15 at Dwellingup Primary School this year.
The current Guinness World Record for most pumpkins smashed in a minute is held by USA woman Ayda Field, who smashed fifteen pumpkins in total on October 31, 2016.
As an experienced wood-chopper competing since he was nine years old, Mr Ashcroft reckons he has a good chance of stealing the record.
“I normally do wood-chopping… I was in the Australian under-21 team for five years running, I’ve won nine state titles, and I’ve been in the final of one world title, which we came 6th in,” Mr Ashcroft said.
“It is a bit different from woodchop, very soft, very quick… to be honest, I haven’t had any practice yet, but it’s sorta something you can only do when the pumpkins are available.”
He said he’s going to try to smash at least 30 in a minute, but even if he doesn’t break the record, he hopes it will still draw a good crowd to the festival.
“I was down at the local wood-chop and the [Pumpkin Festival] organisers approached me and asked if i’d do it, being a former student at the school,” Mr Ashcroft said.
“I’ll give it a crack.”
He will attempt the record at 1pm on the day, after the festival’s main event, the Giant Pumpkin Competition, is judged.
The Dwellingup Pumpkin Festival runs from 10am-2pm on Easter Saturday, April 15 at the Dwellingup Primary School.
