From Field to Trophy: Kansas Wheat Honors Coach Bill Snyder

A Kansas-developed wheat variety has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind trophy honoring Bill Snyder, blending Kansas State University research, farmer stewardship and K-State football tradition into a single handcrafted work of art.

American master straw artist Marian Vavra created the trophy using the KS Bill Snyder hard red winter wheat variety, released in 2023 through K-State and licensed by the Kansas Wheat Alliance. The trophy was hand-built entirely from the wheat straw itself and designed as a ceremonial tribute to Coach Snyder’s legacy and Kansas agriculture.

“This piece gave me a way to honor Coach Snyder while also honoring the researchers who breed wheat and the farmers who decide what seed to plant,” said Vavra. “It brings all of those stories together in one form.”

The project began during the 2025 Wheat Plot Tour at the K-State Research and Extension John C. Pair Horticultural Center, where Vavra first saw the KS Bill Snyder variety growing in the field. While most visitors discussed agronomic performance and yield potential, Vavra evaluated the wheat for artistic qualities such as straw strength, stem length, head shape and color.

Because research plots cannot be harvested, the wheat used for the trophy was sourced from licensed test fields near Yoder, Kansas. With permission from Kauffman Seed Company, Vavra hand-harvested six bundles of KS Bill Snyder wheat in June, using three bundles entirely to create the finished piece.

The trophy’s design is inspired by a traditional Ukrainian harvest form known as a didukh, a symbolic sheaf that represents legacy, renewal and gratitude. Vavra adapted the three-tiered structure to reflect Kansas wheat production, K-State research and the lasting culture of agriculture in the state.

“Wheat carries history with it,” Vavra said. “From the people who brought seed to Kansas, to the breeders who improve it, to the farmers who grow it, this trophy reflects that entire journey.”

The upper tier of the trophy features fanned wheat heads and a straw star symbolizing the Kansas motto, Ad astra per aspera. The middle tier represents Kansas soil and the abundance held within each wheat head. The lower tier serves as the foundation and features a football medallion that transforms the piece into a recognizable trophy.

Every element of the football was made from the KS Bill Snyder wheat itself. Straw was flattened to create the football surface, while fine straw threads were spun and sewn to form seams and edging. Purple ribbon and trim were added as finishing touches to clearly mark the piece as a K-State tribute.

The back of the football documents the trophy’s creation, including the wheat’s harvest location, licensing and release through K-State research. While inspired by traditional straw techniques, the football design and K-State symbolism make the piece an original artistic work.

This project highlights how Kansas wheat extends beyond the field, reflecting the connection between research programs, seed companies, farmers and Kansas culture.

The Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation supports wheat research above and beyond the dollars contributed by Kansas farmers through the checkoff by providing a mechanism for donors to give meaningfully to the future of wheat production. The foundation attracts a wide range of donors, from individuals with deep family ties to wheat production to global supporters. Established in 2012, the foundation has grown to more than $6 million in assets, highlighting the critical need for public-private partnerships in wheat research. Gifts to the KWCRF are used exclusively for wheat research and are tax-deductible.

Support the KS Bill Snyder variety and wheat research as part of the Legendary Greats giving campaign through the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation (KWCRF) at ksbillsnyder.com