Two Texas wheat producers were recognized as national winners in the National Wheat Yield Contest, earning top honors in the dryland winter wheat category. Shawn Kimbrell, of Sunray, and Royce O’Neal, of White Deer, were recognized during the National Wheat Foundation reception at Commodity Classic on February 24, 2026.
A former National Wheat Yield Contest winner, Kimbrell earned first place in the percentage over county average category with a yield of 70.04 bushels per acre, 448% above the Moore County average. Kimbrell planted WestBred WB4595 and attributes much of his success to careful variety selection. A strong proponent of no-till farming and crop rotation, Kimbrell plants one-third of his acreage in dryland wheat, one-third in dryland cotton and leaves the remaining third fallow to conserve moisture.
When asked about his advice for fellow farmers, Kimbrell said, “Don’t plant fence to fence. Lay out ground. During that resting time, we’ve learned that the moisture, what little moisture we get, is stored. I harvest a crop every year, even in the dry years. It might not be a 70-bushel crop every year, but it’s harvested every year.”
Kimbrell is strategic with input management, timing topdress fertilizer applications to align with forecasted snow or rainfall to maximize efficiency. Recognizing the importance of weed control in a no-till system, Kimbrell has also been experimenting with drone technology and used a spray drone to combat mustard weed in the winning field.
O’Neal earned third place in the percentage over county average category with a yield of 89.14 bushels per acre, 220% higher than the Carson County average. Another former winner, O’Neal believes the National Wheat Yield Contest plays an important role in helping farmers share management strategies and encouraging seed companies to continue improving and expanding varietal offerings.
“It’s a good program to be a part of because you can learn more about what other people are doing, and other people can learn from what you’re doing,” said O’Neal. “Maybe we can make a better crop together.”
A strong advocate for variety selection and the use of certified seed, O’Neal planted WestBred WB4792 in his winning plot. He also credits timely fungicide application and strategic management of other inputs for his success. In addition to his yield achievement, O’Neal was recognized as a top quality winner in the Hard Red Winter wheat category.
“It’s exciting to have two Texas wheat farmers earn this top honor through the National Wheat Yield Contest,” said Ben Scholz, a Lavon farmer and current secretary/treasurer of the National Wheat Foundation. “The contest highlights dedicated and innovative farmers who are maximizing their regional production potential, and these two Texas winners certainly fit that description.”
Now in its 10th year, the National Wheat Yield Contest is hosted by the National Wheat Foundation, a nonprofit organization managed by the staff of the National Association of Wheat Growers that serves as a center for wheat research, education and outreach. The contest offers growers the opportunity to compete on a national level while improving production practices through innovative management techniques.
Winners are selected in two primary categories, winter wheat and spring wheat, with subcategories for dryland and irrigated production. All submitted samples are analyzed for grain quality, including protein and test weight, and all entries must meet quality standards to be eligible to place. A complete list of national and state winners is available on the National Wheat Foundation website.
