10 June 2004: Central Queensland grain grower, Bruce Donovan has been named the winner of a new Yamaha Kodiak ATV. Mr Donovan of "Duaringa Station" won the four wheeler as part of a joint promotion between Pacific Seeds and Landmark.

Mr Donovan's purchase of Elite treated MR-43 grain sorghum seed won him the bike, with his ticket being drawn on Monday, February 9, 2004. He said he was surprised to be the winner.

"I was a bit shocked when they said I'd won the bike," he said. "It's good that it's coming to CQ, and even better that it's coming to Duaringa station."

While the crop of MR-43 was looking to be an excellent crop, shortly after being sprayed out prior to harvest, the area received heavy rain and Duaringa Station hasn't been able to get into the crop to harvest it. "The MR-43 was looking really good, but now there's a body of water between us and the crop so we're not sure we'll be able to get in, in time to harvest anything," Mr Donovan said.

That crop was not the only string in the CQ grower's bow, with the majority of the season's sorghum crop being planted with MR-Buster. "We've planted about 5000 acres of Buster and it's just starting to come out in flower at the moment." "We've had plenty of rain and the crops looking really good."

Hot conditions in the area are a concern for Mr Donovan, with head blast a risk if the conditions are too hot when the heads are filling. This crop was the first time Mr Donovan had purchased Elite treated seed. "We normally treat our own seed," he said. "But this season we were short handed and bought treated seed."

Duaringa Station are happy with the results. "We're really pleased with it," he said. "The seed had good germination and there were plenty of dead bugs in rows when the seeds were emerging, so that means it was doing its job."
"We'll use Elite again."

The promotion was run along the lines that when growers in Queensland purchased a bag of Elite treated seed, over the period of the competition, from their Landmark agent, they received a ticket in the draw. Those who purchased seed before a set date received double the number of tickets as part of an early bird incentive.

Caption: Bruce Donovan receives the keys to his new Yamaha ATV from Jim McCrae, Landmark Rockhampton.