"This has been one of the toughest seasons we've had in a long time in regards to consistency and quality which made it a difficult year for awards."
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This is how Feed Central general manager Cieran Maxwell described the judging of 2020-21 Feed Central National Hay Quality Awards, which saw NSW, Victorian and South Australian haymakers share the top honours.
The winners were announced as part of a Feed Central webinar which also included a seasonal outlook. Due to quality production reasons, there were no Queensland winners this year and only state awards for vetch hay.
NSW
David Tidswell, from DP and VE Tidswell, Canowindra, won the NSW and National lucerne hay feed test analysis awards.
Philip and Penny Small from Philip Small and Co, Mudgee, were named NSW and National Lucerne visual award winners.
The NSW and National cereal hay feed test analysis was won by Scott Beveridge from Myall Park Partnership at Armatree.
Grant Mills from Forbes was the NSW cereal hay visual award winner.
South Australia
David Mitchell from Chelwood Farming, Mintaro was the South Australian and National cereal hay visual award winner.
Danny Steer from JD, BM and DJ Steer at Lameroo won National award for the best vetch hay feed test analysis.
Other South Australian winners were Riley McNicol and Anthony Swan from Mill Park Stud, Meningie for the best cereal hay feed test analysis
Simon Allen from Allen's Warrawee Park at Keith SA for the best lucerne hay visual score, and David and Paul Humphris, Humphris Family Trust, Gladstone, for the best lucerne hay feed test analysis.
Victoria
In Victoria, Sam and Jake Thompson, from Kyabram, won the Lucerne hay feed test analysis and visual awards
The Peacock Family Group, from Timmering, won the cereal hay visual award and feed test analysis awards.
Wayne Niejalke and his wife Bianca from Canitya Farms at Murrayville won the National award for the best visual grade vetch hay.
Feed Central general manager Cieran Maxwell said it had been a tough year for growers but the award winners had done their best in trying circumstances.
"Anyone who has produced good quality hay this season has succeeded in very challenging conditions and deserves to be congratulated for what they have achieved," Mr Maxwell said,
Some award categories were combined and amended to reflect the tough growing conditions.
Mr Maxwell said vetch hay suffered the most due to the seasonal conditions, closely followed by cereal hay.
The awards recognise and encourage growers to aim for high quality hay. Hay listed with Feed Central in preparation for sale is inspected on-farm by a certified Feed Central inspector and is eligible for entry in the competition.
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