Beeting the best for third time

Silverware and bragging rights are back in familiar hands after this year’s winter feed competition in the Teviot Valley.

For the seventh year, the Roxburgh and Districts Lions held their winter feed competition and judged crops from Raes Junction to Coal Creek.

Competition conveners Peter MacDougall and Bill Bain used their highly technical measuring devices — two electric-fence standards with a length of rope between them — to mark out the same area in each paddock. They then dug and weighed what grew in the area.

Mr MacDougall said this year they judged 71 crop paddocks on 41 farms.

Mr Hill’s fodder beet — which was Brigadier from competition sponsors RAGT — came in heaviest in the irrigated fodder beet section. He was also won the Wattlebank Cup for the beet, and the Farmlands crop of the year.

It was the third time Mr Hill had won the Wattlebank cup. He was quietly delighted to have it back.

Entering the competition was a good way to support the local community and the bragging rights were pretty good, he said.

Mr MacDougall said the Lions gave the prizes donated by sponsors to the winners and still managed to raise about $10,000 from the contest. This year the funds would be divided between the Teviot Valley rest-home, in Roxburgh, and the St John Health Shuttle.

julie.asher@thenews.co.nz