The FSOOTY competition is back again for 2026!
Entries are now closed
Congratulations to our 2025 winner - Mark Turner!
An operator with 25 year’s experience, Mark works at Rise Farms, East Riding of Yorkshire, where he operates a Bateman RB35.
Mark was presented with the prestigious FSOOTY trophy in the Sprays & Sprayers Arena at Cereals on 11th June 2025 by Syngenta North-West Commercial Unit Head, Sarah Iveson.
What is the Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year competition?
FSOOTY aims to reward the country’s top sprayer operators - whilst also sharing the practical tips and best practice that can help all operators enhance results and protect the environment. It's open to all sprayer operators, with the initial stage involving just a few on-line questions.
The winner will be announced at the Cereals event where all finalists will be presented in the Sprays and Sprayers Arena.
The Competition
Round 1
Enter online and answer 4 questions.
Open to all UK Sprayer Operators, excluding previous FSOOTY winners.
Round 2
Answer more technical application questions online, including your top spraying tips.
These will be judged by our panel of experts.
Round 3
The judges will choose 3 finalists who will be visited on farm to see their sprayer set up.
All finalists will be invited to Cereals Event 2026 where the winner will be announced.
The Prize
Cereals Event
All finalists will be hosted overnight before the Cereals Event and presented with their awards in the Sprays & Sprayers Arena on day 1, after driving a lap around the arena.
The winner will also be announced and given their trophy at this presentation.
Agritechnica
The winner receives an all expenses paid trip to the 2027 Agritechnica Event in Germany!
Agritechnica is the world's leading trade fair for agricultural machinery, giving visitors direct access to innovative, networked agricultural systems that use digital technologies to increase efficiency, sustainability and productivity. Meet global players, secret champions, innovators and visionaries. They all present solutions for the challenges of global crop production.
FSOOTY has proven to be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience for all who participate, Syngenta Application Specialist, Scott Cockburn highlights:
"Everyone who enters has the same application challenges and frustrations, so there’s a huge amount to gain from sharing the solutions. One thing that’s repeated every year is that entrants find they learn something new from other operators and can improve the way they work."
Building on the success of previous years, FSOOTY celebrates excellence in sprayer operation while fostering a sense of camaraderie among operators.
The competition not only recognises outstanding practice but also offers a unique platform for operators to share experiences and enhance their learning.
Meet the 2026 Finalists
Jack Williams
Farm facts
Business: W.J. Watkins & Son, Arkstone Court, Hereford
Cropping: 1,200ha winter wheat, oilseed rape, combining peas, grass seed, barley, oats and 200ha of potatoes.
Sprayer: Househam Harrier 4000, 30m boom, twin nozzle outlets, Househam terminal, Novatel RTK GPS receiver.
James Cracknell
Farm facts
Business: Hyde Parker Farms, Sudbury, Suffolk.
Cropping: 400ha winter and spring barley, first and second wheats, winter oats and peas (area is set to expand to 600ha).
Sprayer: 5,000-litre Rogator 6450, 30m Pommier boom, John Deere StarFire RTK GPS with two Fendt control terminals.
Scott Harrod
Farm facts
Business: H.D.F. Farming, based at Hall Farm, Trimingham, Norfolk.
Cropping: 1,400ha farm on two bases, including cereals and oilseed rape, sugar beet, vining peas and 350ha of potatoes.
Sprayer: Sands Infinity 6000, 36m wide VG boom with Hypro Duo React Twin nozzle bodies. Ag Leader terminal, RTK GPS.
Follow us on social media
You can keep up to date by following us on social media: