Condobolin’s Dustin Manwaring’s quest for love led him to Sophie Trethowan.

Sophie, from Rand in the Riverina, stole the local farmers’ heart on Season 14 of Farmer Wants A Wife.

Dustin followed his heart, despite avid fans of the show believing he was more compatible with Anna.

Since the wrapping up of the series, Sophie has spent some time in Condobolin and Dustin visiting her friends and family in Rand.

There appears to be only one thing stopping Sophie moving to the farm – Dustin’s current living arrangements. It was revealed that the place they were living in during the show is not his house, and he really lives in a run-down cottage, so Sophie is reluctant to live there.

Despite the concerns over living quarters, Sophie and Dustin, were still together when the Reunion Show aired on Sunday, 26 May. They discussed how many children they wanted – Dustin said three to four; while Sophie said two to three. Dustin declared he was in love and had found a wife.

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Looking back on Dustin’s journey to find love on Farmer Wants A Wife

Dustin begins his search for love, by choosing five ladies after the speed dates in Episode 1. He chooses Anna, Sophie, Izzy, Chloe and Kara. Dustin picks Sophie for the 24 hour date. Dustin shows Sophie his Nan and Pop’s original house. He’s so proud of it and everything his family has built over the years. The other chosen ladies are on their way to the farm.

Dustin gets his girls to wash the machinery as his chosen ladies settle into life on the farm (Episode 3). Dustin has to choose two ladies to go on a double date with, and then must send one of those ladies’ home at the end. Dustin chooses Anna and Kara and takes them for a parmi and a beer at the local pub. Kara is sent home.

In Episode 5, Dustin and Chloe enjoy watching a sunset from the back of his candlelit ute after choosing her for a solo date in Episode 4. Izzy is the only girl on Dustin’s farm who hasn’t had a date, so she whisks him away to the hay shed for choc-chip cookies and tea. Dustin decides not to send anyone home this time.

In Episode 6, Dustin learns that his Mum has chosen two women who she feels would be good matches. Dustin heads into town to meet Mum’s choices – Belle and Maddie. After spending some time together, Dustin invites Belle back to the farm. The morning after, Dustin’s Mum pops in to meet all the girls and cook breakfast, and then Dustin takes Belle on a farm tour. They have a discussion on how hard it is to find the right person to settle down with.

It’s time for the Country Ball in Episode 7. Belle is settling into farm life well on Dustin’s farm. Izzy feels particularly put out because she hasn’t even had a date yet. Before the ball, the girls all get together and the farmers also catch up for some fishing and a heart-to-heart. Dustin says he’s impressed with his Mum’s taste; he likes Belle. Dustin chooses Izzy for a solo date.

Dustin takes Izzy to Gum Bend Lake for a bit of canoeing in Episode 8. Dustin and Issy picnic by the lake. He’s feeling confused as he has feelings for all the ladies, but he can only choose one as his wife. She asks him outright whether he feels anything, and then they share a kiss. Also in this episode, a heifer is struggling to calf and as Anna is a midwife, she steps into help. The ladies also get to meet Dustin’s Nanna, where she shows them a family recipe book and they do some cooking. There are five ladies still on Dustin’s farm at this stage, but by then Chloe chooses to walk away on her own.

Episode 9 starts with the girls reflecting on where their farmer’s feelings might be at. The ladies have the chance to create a date to take their farmer’s breath away. They must submit the dates anonymously and the farmers have to choose one. Dustin chooses catching yabbies at the dam, which is Sophie’s idea. Sophie prepares a picnic and they both get muddy. They eat chicken nuggets and the end share a kiss. Dustin shares in this episode that he is confident he will find love.

It’s a weekend of camping beneath the stars in Episode 10. Dustin and Anna have a chat, where Dustin makes a move and leans in for a kiss.

In Episode 11, Dustin chooses Anna for a 24 hour date. He took her for massages, although turns out there’s no actual masseuse but they’re taking turns massaging each other instead. Dustin says he has feeling for all of the girls but his head and his heart are telling him the same thing. He sends Izzy home.

Dustin drives his three ladies into town to play bowls with his friends during Episode 12. Sophie and Dustin seem very close. Anna has had a 24-hour date and they look like they have good chemistry. Dustin’s friends are forthright in their assessments of Sophie, Anna and Belle. After discussing the situation, Dustin’s mates choose Belle as their pick for him.

Farmer Dustin and Belle are fishing on a dam, then have a picnic and some champagne in Episode 13. They also share a kiss. Sophie and Anna are back on the farm feeling uncertain, – are all ladies still in the running to win Dustin’s heart?

Harvest is over at Dustin’s property and so he gets the girls to help with cultivating the paddocks in Episode 14. This is when Sophie, Anna and Belle get to meet Dustin’s big family. After spending time with the three ladies, the family’s choice is Belle.

During Episode 15, a helicopter arrives to pick up Dusitn and Belle, where they are heading off on a 24 hour date. Dustin to give her a chance because his family like her, but appears as if his strong connections are with Sophie and Anna. After the date, Dustin has to say goodbye to one lady. Dustin chooses to send Belle home, despite the fact his family, in particular Mum, likes her.
In Episode 16, the Black-Tie Dinner sees all the farmers hit the big smoke and put on their glad rags. Dustin also heads to the barber for a spruce up, which was a first for him. He talks with the other farmers and feels like he has tough decisions ahead.

In the second-last episode of television’s Farmer Wants a Wife, Dustin travelled to Sophie’s hometown to meet her family and have a beer with the locals.

After the filming wrapped, it is believed Dustin mingled with the locals, talking about harvesting and farming.

He also visited Anna’s family farm in Brisbane. Anna and Dustin spend the final night at her family retreat in Toowoomba. She puts her heart on the line, telling him it blows her mind how much she feels for him. She’s falling in love with him.

Dustin now has a very hard decision to make. First, he meets with Anna, and says she ticks every box but unfortunately his heart is leading him in another direction. When Dustin sees Sophie, he has the biggest smile on his face. He tells her that she’s made him a better person and he’s in love with that small town girl from Rand and can’t wait to start that life on the land.