Andrew Myatt, farm foreman and sprayer operator on the Stowell Park Estate, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, beat off some very strong competition to become this year’s Syngenta Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year.

He gets plenty of practice – using a Bateman RB16 with 24m boom, he sprays just under 11,000ha a year of combinable crops.

Describing him as a great ambassador for the industry, the judges praised his all-round expertise and professionalism, highlighted by his ingenious filling system that allows the sprayer to be filled in the chemical store, speeding turnaround times and boosting safety.