By Melissa Blewitt

Gaynor Farming have won the 2024 Condobolin PAH and I Association Crop of the Year Competition.
The winners were announced at the Don Brown Memorial Merino Ewe Competition presentation evening at the Condobolin Sports Club on Tuesday, 18 February.
Gaynor Farming’s crop of Renegade Canola yielded 2.2 tonnes per hectare and they scored 98.5 out of a possible 100 points in the competition.
Yarnel Pastoral Co placed second, with their crop of Koala Milling Oats, which yielded 3.7 tonnes per hectare. The total score for this entry was 82 points out of a possible 100.
Jock and Trini Coupland produced a Swordfish Canola crop that yielded 1.6 tonnes per hectare to secure third place. The end score for Jock and Tinin Coupland’s entry was 79.5 points out of 100.
McDonald Bros took home fourth place, with a 1.7 tonne per hectare crop of Bonito Canola. McDonald Bros total score was 79 out of a possible 100 points.
First prize for the Competition was $400, second $250, third $150 and fourth $100. The Crop Inspection Tour took place in late September 2024.
Condobolin PAH and I Association Crop of the Year Competition Chief Steward Olivia Dawson offered the following comments to the entrants about the outcomes of their competition crops.
“Thank you to all of the entrants in the competition,” she said.
“Thank you for entering and for those who always think outside the square and test the boundaries in an area which sometime isn’t very forgiving.
“Last year showed a lot of promise in this area and unfortunately a significant frost event in mid-September and a dry finish to follow took away a lot of that potential.
“However, there were still plenty of great results to come out of the season.”
Mrs Dawson also paid tribute to the sponsors – Graincorp, AGnVET, Lachlan Agencies, Home, Hardware and Rural and Equipment and Service, who ensure the competition continues.
“I also want to say a big thank you to Chiara Stommel Trials Agronomist from Central West Farming Systems, who had quite a difficult task to score some really great looking crops just as the season was starting to finish,” she stated.
“Another thank you, to Amy Smith, who standardised all of the entries and calculated the results for the competition this year.”
Mrs Dawson said she hoped all those who took part in the competition , would make another entry this year.