# 26th Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman competition > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/exemplary-croatian-rural-woman-competition > Updated: 2026-10-03T18:36:52.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 3. The 26th Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman competition was held on October 3 in Ilok, featuring 20 contestants representing all Croatian counties. Natalija Poljak, representing Split-Dalmatia County, is a mother of four from Sinj who has managed an eight-hectare farm since 2017. Her production includes seasonal vegetables, potatoes, beans, and zucchini, alongside livestock. She sells products directly to customers and at a stall in Split, emphasizing the necessity of professional training to preserve domestic production. Ana-Marija Hrust represented Zagreb County, managing a family farm in Marija Gorica that utilizes robotic milking technology. Barbara Fučec Borović, a graduate agronomist from Ivanovec, was named the Most Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman for 2026. She manages a family farm in the Međimurje region consisting of approximately 100 hectares, plus an additional 13 hectares under her own family farm (OPG). Alongside her husband, Bruno Borović, she produces wheat, corn, tritikale, buckwheat, and pumpkin, the latter of which is processed into oil. The operation includes roughly 160 head of cattle and utilizes solar panels and robotic milking systems to produce over 550,000 liters of milk annually, which is used to create various award-winning cheeses. In addition to her agricultural work, Fučec Borović breeds the indigenous Međimurje dog breed, the Međija, serves as the secretary of the Association of Young Producers of Međimurje, and is active in the volunteer fire department. During the ceremony, she emphasized the importance of young people returning to rural areas to preserve healthy food production and community traditions. ## Claims - Barbara Fučec Borović from Ivanovac won the title of Most Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman for 2026. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The 26th selection of the Most Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman was held in Ilok. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Barbara is a graduate agronomist. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The family farm cultivates approximately 100 hectares of agricultural land. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Barbara manages an additional 13 hectares through her own family farm. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The farm has about 160 head of livestock. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Annual milk production exceeds 550,000 liters. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The farm utilizes robotic milking systems and solar panels. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-03: Barbara Fučec Borović named Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman Agronomist Barbara Fučec Borović from Ivanovec has won the title of Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman for 2026 at the 26th annual competition held in Ilok. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/barbara-fuec-borovi-named-most-exemplary-croatian-rural-woman ### 2026-09-23: Natalija Poljak to represent Split-Dalmatia at rural women award Natalija Poljak will represent Split-Dalmatia County at the 26th selection for the Most Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman in Ilok. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/natalija-poljak-to-represent-split-dalmatia-at-rural-women-award ### 2026-09-15: Ana-Marija Hrust represents Zagreb County in rural woman competition Ana-Marija Hrust, representing Zagreb County, is a candidate in the 26th Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman competition held in Ilok. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ana-marija-hrust-represents-zagreb-county-in-rural-woman-competition --- Cite as: 26th Exemplary Croatian Rural Woman competition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/exemplary-croatian-rural-woman-competition