Helen Allen began her career in Yanco. Photo: Supplied.
A retired cereal chemist who spent most of her tenure in the Riverina has been honoured for her 30-year contribution to grain judging at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
Helen Allen began her career as a junior laboratory assistant at the Yanco Agricultural Institute and was first introduced to grain judging in the early 1990s, after accompanying her then-supervisor to the show.
After learning the ropes under the guidance of Department of Primary Industries (DPI) grain chemists Ted Jacob and Tony Blakeney, Ms Allen took over judging responsibilities upon her supervisor’s retirement — and has led the section ever since.
“Ted and Tony really paved the way for me and from the very beginning it has been a great joy to be around farmers who proudly produced these grains,” she said.
“They’ve given me a warm welcome every single year.”
According to show organisers, Ms Allen’s long service in cereal chemistry — much of it spent at the Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute — has been instrumental in maintaining the integrity and high standard of the competition.
Over the decades she has used her expertise in cereal quality, kernel development and varietal performance to evaluate entries from across NSW.
Ms Allen believes the winning grain often comes down to consistency, cleanliness, uniformity, and sound kernel development – key indicators of both good farming practices and optimal growing conditions.
“It’s always a highlight of my year to come down to the show. What stands out the most is how dedicated and collaborative the staff, volunteers and participants are in showcasing the best of the NSW agricultural industries,” Ms Allen said.
One of her initiatives was introducing an annual booklet of results for the district exhibits, compiling data from grain samples across the north, south, east, and west of the state.
“We started presenting a booklet on the final day of judging, and the feedback has been incredible,” she said.
“Participants love seeing the detailed results — comparing how the same variety of grain performs across different regions. One variety might thrive in the south, but struggle in the west – it’s amazing to see and the results booklet helps everyone learn and improve.”
Despite stepping back from full-time work at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), she has no plans to retire from judging any time soon.
Group Director Dr Alison Bowman praised her dedication and noted that current NSW DPIRD staff Kathi Hertel – Technical Specialist Pulses and Oilseeds and Kevin Dodds – Development Officer Temperate Fruits, are proudly continuing the tradition. Ms Hertel judged pulses and oilseeds, and Mr Dodds oversaw apples and pears in the district exhibits this year.
“NSW DPIRD is proud to contribute its technical expertise to the Sydney Royal Easter Show each year, championing excellence in agricultural production, fostering education, and strengthening connections between industry and the broader community,” Dr Bowman said.
The 2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show ran from 11 to 22 April in Sydney. More information is available at the Easter Show website.
