dave.php

  <div class="col-md-12">
            <div id="listing-awards">
                <?php 
                
                    $medals = new StdClass;

                    $medals->text = '{fabrik view=list id=2 medals___Winery=' . $this->item->id . ' showfilters=0}';
                    $medalsParams = new JRegistry;
                  
                    JPluginHelper::importPlugin('fabrik'); // <- this should be the name of the plugin. so if its fabrik's content
                    $dispatcher = JDispatcher::getInstance();
                    $dispatcher->trigger('onContentPrepare', array('k2.item', &$medals, &$medalsParams, 0));


                    // I'm not sure what you're trying to check here. The code should be doing this:
                    // 1) create a class and assign a property of "text" to it. Pass that object to the event dispatcher. 
                    // 2) the event dispatcher inspects the "text" property and modifies it by replacig the plugin code with the fabrik list
                    // 3) then you simply output the modified text property
                    // 4) why do we need to do an "if" on the text property here? You're doing a  true or false check, but it should always be true.
                    
                    // the "text" property here will be the list HTML from the event dispatcher. So this won't be "false" unless that somehow breaks.
                    if (! $medals->text) {
                        echo "It worked!";
                    }

                    else {
                        echo "<h3>Medals</h3><br/>" . $medals->text;
                    }
                    
                    // I think you just want to do:
                    echo '<h3>Medals</h3>';
                    echo $medals->text;
                ?>
            </div>

            <div id="listing-recognition">
                <?php $recognition = new StdClass;

                    $recognition->text = '{fabrik view=list id=3 recognitions___Winery=' . $this->item->id . ' showfilters=0}';
                    $recognitionParams = new JRegistry;

                    JPluginHelper::importPlugin('fabrik'); // we need the right name here
                    $dispatcher = JDispatcher::getInstance();
                    $dispatcher->trigger('onContentPrepare', array('k2.item', &$recognition, &$recognitionParams, 0));

                    if (! $recognition->text) {
                        echo "It worked!";
                    }

                    else {
                        echo "<h3>Recognitions</h3><br/>" . $recognition->text;;
                    }
                ?>
            </div>
        </div>