Media Releases

Ag Art Winners in New Zealand

15 June 2009

Three finalists in the National Ag Art Competition from last years Elmore Field Days have gone on to claim success at last weeks New Zealand Fieldays.

All three national finalists from the Elmore Ag Art Competition were placed with Helen Williams and Leanne Donne from Torrumbarry winning first prize in the Designer Section with their Banana Armour entry.

They receive a $1,200 prize and trophy.

Their Banana Armour entry was inspired by Cyclone Larry and the devastation it caused to Innisfail in north Queensland last year.

Helen and Leanne are sisters while Leanne who grew up in Jarklin in north central Victoria now resides in Cairns.

Sister Helen owns her own soft furnishings business “On the Right Track’ in Echuca.

They say that their Banana Armour entry was created to reflect the resilience of north Queensland’s banana farmers.

Their entry features a multitude of colour from plastics which are fused together, fluffed and frilled then detailed with a hot stylus.

Betty Park who hails from a family farm in Bairnsdale also took out the second place in the Avant Garde section with her entry Cocky’s Cabaret which she describes as “created from black seed mat with spiralling wire sewn from the neckline to the hem with 42 cheeky and mischievous cockatoos perched on the wire in different poses.”

Betty received a $1,000 prize as second place getter in this section.

Megan Wallis from Serviceton South Australia was placed third in the Under 21 Section with her entry Fish out of Water.

Megan is a Year 10 student at Kaniva College and also comes from a family farm background.

Her entry featured head, fins, and scales made from insulation over a body of shade cloth and fencing wire.

The popular Ag Art Competition continues this year at Elmore Field Days with entries closing on Monday 17 August and the application form can be downloaded from the website http://www.elmorefielddays.com.au/

Lorraine Trewick and Joyce Giffin the Ag Art Competition coordinators at Elmore Field Days said they are delighted with the success of Elmore’s section winners in the tough competition at the New Zealand Fieldays.

“We congratulate our three winners on their success and we are delighted that since 2002 most of the garment entries in New Zealand have received either Merit Awards or minor placings, so to receive another first placing against trans-Tasman competition is quite exciting.”