ST. LOUIS (Nov. 5, 2025) — The standout wheat varieties are showcased in the 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest results, offering growers valuable insights into variety selection for the next crop.
Across all six categories, 16 of the 28 national winners in the 2025 NWYC planted WestBred® Wheat varieties. Nine varieties contributed to the 16 wins, and six of those were Hard Red Spring varieties. WB9590 continued to perform well in the NWYC, earning five wins. WB 9645 had one national win.
WestBred national winners averaged 129.60 bushels per acre (Bu/A), with the highest yield achieved being 228.13 Bu/A. Additionally, the varieties WB1621 (soft white winter), WB4422 (hard red winter), and WB4792 (hard red winter), each had two national wins.
The contest demonstrates that top-performing genetics, planted in diverse yield environments and managed well, is a recipe for success, said Carrie Roach, WestBred Wheat marketing manager.
“Region to region, year to year, WestBred Wheat varieties show their potential for strong yield and good quality in the NWYC,” said Roach. “Results from the 2025 NWYC provide valuable insights. Growers can begin planning their next crop by reviewing the winning varieties in their region to help build a solid foundation on which to base their seed selection.”
At the state level, WestBred wheat varieties won in 11 of the 14 states in which the brand is planted. Overall, 39% of the state winners planted WestBred, making it the brand with the most wins in the contest.
Entrants were judged in two primary categories: spring wheat and winter wheat, broken into subcategories of dryland and irrigated. Awards were also given for percent increases over county averages in the dryland subcategories.
National winning growers planting WestBred Wheat varieties were:
Winter Wheat — Dryland
● First Place, Percentage Increase — Shawn Kimbrell, Sunray, Texas, with a
448.48% increase over the county average with WB4595 variety. Final yield:
70.04 Bu/A (County Average: 12.77 Bu/A).
● Second Place, Percentage Increase — Matt Doman, Chandler, Oklahoma, with a
242.40% increase over the county average with WB4422 variety. Final yield:
106.45 Bu/A (County Average: 31.09 Bu/A).
● Third Place, Percentage Increase — Kenneth O’Neal, Groom, Texas, with a
219.628% increase over the county average with WB4792 variety. Final yield:
89.14 Bu/A (County Average: 27.89 Bu/A).
● Fourth Place, Percentage Increase — Charles A (Tony) Kodesh, Red Rock,
Oklahoma, with a 216.55% increase over the county average with WB4422
variety. Final yield: 108.32 Bu/A (County Average: 34.22 Bu/A).
Winter Wheat — Irrigated
● Bin Buster Winner — Rylee Reynolds, Castleford, Idaho, with a yield of 228.13
Bu/A with WB1621 soft winter wheat variety.
● First Place — Oree Reynolds, Castleford, Idaho, with a yield of 226.59 Bu/A
with WB1621 soft white winter variety.
Spring Wheat — Dryland
● First Place — Brent Philipp, Goodridge, Minnesota, with a yield of 123.67 Bu/A
with WB9590 hard red spring variety.
● First Place, Percentage Increase — Jordan Christman, Hettinger, North Dakota,
with a 157.049% increase over the county average with WB9590 variety. Final
yield: 101.27 Bu/A (County Average: 39.40 Bu/A).
● Second Place, Percentage Increase — Greg Messer, Richardton, North Dakota,
with a 150.25% increase over the county average with WB9645 variety. Final
yield: 101.15 Bu/A (County Average: 40.42 Bu/A).
● Third Place, Percentage Increase — Andrew Doll, New Salem, North Dakota,
with a 126.75% increase over the county average with WB9590 variety. Final
yield: 100.79 Bu/A (County Average: 44.45 Bu/A).
Spring Wheat — Irrigated
● First Place — Dallin Wilcox, Rexburg, Idaho, with a yield of 190.10 Bu/A with
WB7589 hard white spring variety.
● Second Place — Jess Blatchford, Baker City, Oregon, with a yield of 168.89
Bu/A with WB6430 soft white spring variety.
Pilot Digital – Winter Dryland
● High Yield — Alec Horton, Leoti, Kansas, with a yield of 138 Bu/A with
WB4792 hard red winter variety.
● High % Over County — Daniel Edmonds, Morris, Oklahoma, with a 67.88%
increase over the county average with WB2452 variety. Final yield: 99 Bu/A.
(County Average: 58.97 Bu/A).
Pilot Digital Yield – Spring Dryland
● High Yield — Isaac Hendrickson, Agate, North Dakota, with a yield of 119 Bu/A
with WB9590 hard red spring variety.
● High % Over County — Brad Disrud, Rolla, North Dakota, with an 85.19%
increase over the county average with WB9590 variety. Final yield: 103 Bu/A. (County Average: 55.62 Bu/A).
“WestBred Wheat congratulates all of the outstanding growers who placed in the 2025 National Wheat Yield Contest,” said Roach. “Congratulations are also in order to the WestBred Wheat seed suppliers, who are so instrumental in understanding what varieties have to offer and helping growers select and place the right variety for an opportunity to win in the contest and achieve high yield potential.
WestBred Wheat is focused on continuing to provide solid genetics with good quality and agronomic traits to fit growers’ needs in their region.”
Looking Forward to the 2026 NWYC WestBred Wheat is a proud annual sponsor of the National Wheat Yield Contest, which helps illustrate the importance of variety selection and input management to achieve outstanding performance. The contest also demonstrates the innovative agronomics and productivity of U.S. wheat growers. We encourage farmers interested in competing in the 2026 contest to contact their WestBred seed supplier or local WestBred representative. Additional information can be found at WestBred.com.
Official rules and entry deadlines will be available in January 2026.
