138.25-pound cabbage is new world record

PALMER — As competitors gathered in the corral watching cabbage after cabbage tip the scales, everyone was handicapping the competition for Scott Robb.

His wife had predicted a record-rivaling entry the week before. Brian Shunskis, last year’s fourth-place winner and this year’s third-place contestant, said Robb’s was the cabbage to beat. Even Steve Hubacek — who set a world record in 2009 with a 127-pound cabbaged dubbed “The Beast” — said Robb was likely to be the winner.

Informed that all the chatter seemed to favor his entry, Robb got nervous.

“That’s not a good sign. I hate that,” Robb said, while waiting for his cabbage to be weighed at Friday’s 17th annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off at the Alaska State Fair. In past years, his entries had been out-sized by Hubacek’s, and Robb said he didn’t want to speculate as to who might win Friday.

“Until I’m in his weight class, a wise man should keep his mouth shut,” Robb said.

At the end of the evening, though, Robb had every reason to open his mouth and cheer. His entry weighed in at a massive 138.25 pounds, topping Hubacek’s previous world record by more than 11 pounds.

Asked afterward how he felt, Robb said he was “blown away. I’ve been doing it for 21, 22 years and finally I reached the top of the mountain.”

The cabbage weigh-off is a staple of the Alaska State Fair. The event draws a crowd large enough fill the bleachers and features costumes and poetry like the limerick submitted with Emerald, the 24-pounder entered by the Meyer Family:

This emerald’s weight is not profuse

Not enough to feed a moose

A mountain of kraut

Is what she’s about

A cabbage put to good use.”

Next to Shunskis in the corral stood Lauren Guinotte. As in years past, she was the youngest competitor to bring in a cabbage large enough to compete with Robb and Hubacek. She said she’s been growing for 11 years.

“I just want to beat my own record,” she said.

But she predicted — rightly as it turned out — that she probably wouldn’t. Still, at 84.25 pounds, she finished fourth.

In third was Shunskis, who hauled his entry all the way from Salcha.

“We think it’s in the 90s range,” he said of entry’s weight.

Which is impressive considering how much it likely dried out on the trip to Palmer. He dubbed his entry “Stinky,” which referred to something he joked might be a trade secret — fertilizing with fish. But it’s really no secret.

“Everyone knows fish are good for it,” he said.

As for Hubacek, he said this year was a rough one. He lost six rows of cabbages at the start of the year. The weather fluctuated throughout the summer. Last year, he’d said he might be hanging it up this year, giving someone else a chance to take home the cabbage glory.

“Winters are long. You’ve got to find something to do,” he said of why he decided against retirement.

If Robb and Hubacek can be said to have a rivalry, it’s a decidedly friendly one. After Robb toppled Hubacek’s record, Hubacek was the first to congratulate him and came away smiling, clearly happy for his friend.

“He knows how it feels and what it takes,” Robb said later.

Robb said he talks to Hubacek throughout the year. He’ll tell Hubacek what he’s up to in his garden and Hubacek will say things like, “Yeah, you’re right on track to grow a 60-pound cabbage,” Robb said.

Which he takes as a message that the method he described needs tweaking. Robb said that’s just how Hubacek gives advice.

“He doesn’t come right out and tell me, but there’s a lot of reading between the lines,” Robb said.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.