It was a night of celebration and generosity at the 2025 Wānaka A&P Winter Crop Competition awards evening on Friday (June 6), with a fundraising auction raising $56,000 for vital emergency services.

The event, held at the Upper Clutha Rugby Clubrooms, was organised by the Rotary Club of Wānaka in partnership with the Wānaka A&P Foundation, and brought together farmers, sponsors and supporters from across the region to honour this year’s top-performing winter crop growers - and to dig deep for a good cause.

“The crop competition is becoming a tradition that not only showcases excellence in agriculture, but also supports the community,” Rotary Club of Wānaka president Alan Richardson said.

“We were blown away by the generosity shown on the night.”

Funds raised from the live auction will be distributed to the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust to support paramedical training, and to the Luggate, Tarras and Lake Hāwea Volunteer Fire Brigades to help purchase critical equipment.

The competition had entries judged across multiple categories, recognising excellence in yield, quality, and presentation. Farmers from around the Upper Clutha took part, with judges visiting farms in the lead-up to the awards night.

Winners were announced during the awards evening - with top producers growing as much as 22 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) of swedes, 19.76 t/ha of kale, 7.7 t/ha of turnips, 41.42 t/ha of fodder beet and 9.3 t/ha of mixed species.

Alan said the competition both celebrates agricultural excellence and provides a key social occasion on the rural calendar.

“We’re proud that this event continues to combine a celebration of farming with a strong focus on giving back to the community,” Alan said. “It’s a real reflection of the spirit of the rural sector.”

The Rotary Club of Wānaka thanked the Wānaka A&P Foundation, sponsors, donors and volunteers, and especially the competition entrants, for helping make the evening possible.

Full winners list:

Supreme winner of the 2025 Wānaka A&P Winter Crop Competition - Lachie McLeod

Fodder Beet

1st Queensbury Pasture Lachie McLeod 41.42 t/ha

2nd Waimaram Brett O'Sullivan 38.1 t/ha

3rd Willowbank Luke Potts 38.00 t/ha

Swedes

1st Lindis Crossing Nathan Austin 22 t/ha

2nd Larches Station Evan Gibson 16.5 t/ha

3rd Marylands Nathan Austin 15.45 t/ha

Kale

1st West Wānaka Ross Chittock 19.76 t/ha

2nd Robbie Gibson Malvern Downs 17 t/ha

3rd John Leith Owner 15.75 t/ha

Turnips 

1st Mt Burke Nick Burdon 7.7 t/ha

Mixed species

1st Lake Hāwea Station Jack Mansfield 9.3 t/ha

PHOTO: Deanna Gerlach