The Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust and the Otago Rural Support Trust will be the beneficiaries of funds raised by the 2022 Upper Clutha Winter Crop Competition.
The competition, organised by the Rotary Club of Wānaka, judges the quality of local winter feed crops based on entries received from local farms.
Its awards presentation night and fundraising auction on Friday night (June 10) raised over $50,000 for the trusts.
Rotary Club of Wanaka president Richard Wallace said the cropping competition is generously supported by the rural community, which will directly benefit from the funds raised.
“We want to make sure that our community is all the better for the effort that goes into this event,” he said.
“Supporting the helicopter trust and the rural support trust ensures that happens.”
Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust trustee Tony Sycamore said the proceeds will go towards establishing an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) path into Wānaka which will allow pilots to undertake missions in challenging weather.
Funds donated to the Otago Rural Support Trust, which assists rural individuals and their families in challenging circumstances, will support the trust’s rural coordinators who provide one-on-one support to those in need.
Competition organiser George Scott said more than 150 people attended the awards night and prizes were awarded across seven categories as well as a supreme winner.
“We had over 50 crops to judge, which was great,” he said. “The auction has been a real success and I can’t thank the businesses who supported us enough.”
This year's supreme award went to Rex Sandford of Rob Rosa Station for his dry swede crop, which judges said was exceptional given the challenging environment in the Cardrona Valley where the farm is located.
The Rotary Club of Wānaka is the official organiser of the Upper Clutha Winter Cropping Competition which is supported by the Tarras School community.
Crop Winners
Kale irrigated Hayden Dickey
Kale non-irrigated Randal Aspinall
Swedes irrigated Robbie Gibson
Swedes non-irrigated Rex Sandford
Fodder Beet irrigated Hayden Dickey
Rape Simon Maling
Turnips Jake Ruddenklau
Special Award Maddy Calder
PHOTO: Anna Munroe