AN innovative fertiliser spreading system took the White Rose What’s Next Award at the 2016 Great Yorkshire Show.

The awards are made to products, implements, devices or services which are judged to make a real improvement either for Yorkshire farmers or the rural community.

This year’s winner was the Amazone ZA-TS centrifugal spreader, distributed by Ripon Farm Services, which features monitoring of the lateral distribution of fertiliser with the aid of radar sensors.

The electric delivery system is fully automated, readjusting for changing fertiliser qualities, travelling on slopes and starting and braking manoeuvres. The Penty Rosebowl was presented to Amazone Territory Manager Trevor Brocklesby.

The Russell Trophy for the Best Agricultural Stand was won by Lloyd Ltd, agricultural and construction machinery suppliers from Bishop Auckland.

The Awards were judged by Alastair Philip, director of agriculture at Askham Bryan College near York, and machinery expert Malcolm Gill, who interviewed all entrants to find out more about their inventions and how they will aid farmers and the rural community.

Mr Philip said: "We were looking for something innovative and new and this spreader was completely different to anything else on the market, using amazing technology."

Yorkshire Agricultural Society Council members John Penty and John Henderson have been very involved in helping to establish the awards which are now in their second year and which were set up to encourage agricultural suppliers to develop new ideas.