The champion wheat grower for 2021 is Craig Muckle.
Craig, who farms at Dorie in mid-Canterbury, was presented with the Champion Cup at the awards ceremony in Christchurch for winning the premium milling wheat award and also won the United Wheat Growers Bayer wheat grower of the year award with his wheat entry ‘Reliance’.
The judges said Craig’s entry’s quality specification was “bang on”. Craig was presented with the Champion Cup, by Garth Gilliam from Champion.
Craig was also the winner of the UWG Bayer wheat grower award. This award is to recognise excellence in the industry.
The judges said the entries in this years’ competition were exceptional, and it speaks highly of the industry to be this spoiled for choice to find an award winner.
The Agronomist of the Year award went to Kerry Thomas. The judges said Kerry featured prominently in the top echelon of entries. He has over 30 years’ experience of growing wheat and he’s well thought of in the industry.
Bill and Nick Davey of Springdale Farming won the Mauri Mills Milling Wheat award for 2021.
The judges said the Davey’s entry of ‘Discovery’ had “very attractive line with great quality parameters”. Bill and Nick were presented with the Tegel Protein Cup, by Krishna Samy, from Mauri Mills.
Brian Leadley of Ashburton won the RuralCo Gristling Wheat award with his entry of ‘Ignite’. The judges said Brian’s entry was a “very nice line of gristing wheat that hits all the requirements.” Brian was presented with the Griffin Foods Cup, by Craig Rodgers from RuralCo.
Warren and Andrew Darling, growers from near Timaru, won the Viterra Feed Wheat of the Year award for their entry of ‘Robusta’. “Very good appearance, excellent yield and a nis high test weight,” the judges said.
Warren and Andrew were presented with the Tegel Foods Cup by Khan Sayer from Viterra.
Mike and Lynn Porter won the Farmers Mill Biscuit Wheat of the Year award with their entry of ‘Ignite’.
Mike and Lynn were presented with the Farmers Mill Cup by Mark Lawrence from Farmers Mill.