2025 Wānaka A&P Winter Crop Competition raises $56,000

PICTURED: Auctioneer Craig Knight facilitated the fundraising auction. (Photo: Deanna Gerlach).

Partnerships were at the heart of the 2025 Wānaka A&P Winter Crop Competition, with Rotary and the Wānaka A&P Foundation joining forces to celebrate agricultural excellence and raise $56,000 for local emergency services.

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

Held at the Upper Clutha Rugby Clubrooms, the event was organised by the Rotary Club of Wānaka, NZ, 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 crops – 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 auction was a huge success and will make a real difference for these local emergency services, which we all rely on,” Alan said.

The winter crop competition saw 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 across categories including swedes, kale, turnips, fodder beet and mixed species were announced during the evening, with top placings keenly contested.

The Wānaka A&P Winter Crop Competition is run annually as part of the broader activities of the Rotary Club of Wānaka. While recognising agricultural excellence, it also 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 Wanaka thanks the Wānaka A&P Foundation, sponsors, donors and volunteers – and especially the competition entrants – for helping make the evening possible.