For thirteen years, the have shone a light on the best in British Farming. During this annual event, Britain's farming industry comes together to celebrate the achievements of its contemporaries.
The judges look for the entrants to be exploring new ideas and opportunities, shaping their businesses to become more robust, sustainable and adaptable in an ever-changing sector.
Whether they are small-scale dairy units or family-run farms, they are all using progressive technologies to improve efficiencies or developing their systems into a niche with challenging conventional thinking.
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Finalists
Dean Sparkes - Bristol鈥�
On his 150-hectare farm near Bristol, Dean Sparkes runs G V Sparkes & Son, a thriving dairy business with a 350-cow spring-calving herd. Alongside his daughters, Georgie and Emily, Dean has embraced a grass-based regenerative system, with sustainability and resilience at its core.
Recent years have seen major changes on the farm. The move from buying-in replacements to rearing their own heifers, coupled with improvements to grazing and slurry management, has been transformative, all achieved on borrowed money. These shifts have eased pressure on staff, streamlined operations, and set the farm on a stronger footing for the future.
Like many in the sector, Dean is conscious of looming challenges such as milk price volatility, unpredictable weather, and interest rate pressures. His strategy is clear: grow the herd sustainably, maximise homegrown forage, and push the boundaries of grass-based dairying.
A commitment to the industry's wider goals also underpins the business. Partnering with Yeo Valley on a regenerative contract, the Sparkes family are actively reducing their carbon footprint, contributing to the sector's ambition of Net Zero by 2040.
For Dean, the focus is simple but powerful: resilient cows, productive pastures, and a future-proofed family business.
Mark and Caroline Davies - Pembrokeshire 鈥�
In just nine years, Mark and Caroline Davies have transformed their 107-hectare Pembrokeshire farm into a cutting-edge dairy unit. Running M&C Davies Ltd, the couple milk 200 pedigree Holsteins with 180 followers, producing an impressive 12,850 litres per cow on average.
Their journey has been far from straightforward. After initially farming with their parents, the pair made the bold decision to invest in a fully automated unit with four Lely robots, despite the financial risk. Since 2018, automation has become central to the farm's success, with slurry scrapers, calf machines, feed pushers and, more recently, a Lely Vector feeding system driving efficiency, improving welfare and reducing waste.
Automation has not only increased yields but also reshaped the way Mark and Caroline manage the herd. Lely's Horizon software provides real-time data, enabling precise decisions on breeding, nutrition and health. The system supports a free-access environment, where cows choose when to eat, lie or be milked, enhancing welfare and performance.
Collaboration is also vital. From vets and foot trimmers to contractors and genetic consultants, the Davieses have built a strong support team to underpin herd health and productivity.
While Bovine TB remains their greatest challenge, they are future-focused, exploring expansion opportunities, breeding high-value replacements, and adopting further technology. With strong environmental credentials, from multi-cut silage to habitat preservation, the business is already contributing to the sector's Net Zero 2040 target.
For Mark and Caroline, success is built on resilience, precision and a passion for continual improvement.
Zara Dorrington - Lincolnshire鈥�
Lincolnshire farmer Zara Dorrington is driving innovation across her family's 800-hectare mixed dairy and arable farm, run alongside her father Ross and uncle Simon. With 340 milking cows managed on a summer block calving system, the herd grazes in spring before being housed as conditions dry, while the arable rotation balances combinable, forage and root crops to support both dairy and soil health.
Zara has overseen significant changes in recent years, all focused on efficiency, welfare and sustainability. A new shed has been designed to mitigate heat stress and boost comfort, while a switch to three-times-a-day milking for most of the year has lifted yield. Genomic testing has driven rapid genetic gains, and infrastructure investment, including a slurry separator and extended pipeline, has improved nutrient use, cutting reliance on artificial fertiliser.
The results are striking: mastitis cases have fallen by 80%, saving costs and improving welfare, while yields and milk solids have risen. At the same time, slurry can now be pumped further afield, maximising its value across the rotation.
Looking ahead, Zara is focused on tackling climate volatility with greater water and slurry storage, alongside continued investment in infrastructure to secure long-term resilience.
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Peter & Julie Cope and Richard Fair - Cheshire鈥�
At Brookside Farming Ltd, a family partnership straddling the England–Wales border, Peter and Julie Cope and their uncle Richard Fair manage a thriving 364-hectare dairy unit. Once based on a New Zealand-style grazing system, the farm has evolved into a high-input, high-output enterprise, with 750 cows housed year-round, averaging 40 litres per day.
The business combines tradition with forward thinking. Peter oversees daily operations, Julie manages HR and finance while supporting staff, and Richard provides guidance from the previous generation. Herd manager Chuck and assistant Josh play pivotal roles, alongside a dedicated team of 11 full-time and two part-time staff, plus three "mini farmers in waiting," Peter and Julie's sons Jack, Oliver and Harry.
Innovation underpins progress. Investments include a self-propelled feeder wagon for precise nutrition, cow monitoring technology to track health and fertility, and genomic testing to boost herd genetics. Renewables, including solar panels and heat recovery, are cutting both emissions and costs, while early adoption of Algomilk feeding is increasing margins.
Equally important is succession. With open conversations central to decision-making, the family has updated partnership agreements to secure the farm's future and nurtured staff succession, preparing Josh to eventually succeed long-serving herdsman Chuck.
Looking ahead, the team is mindful of challenges, from labour to policy changes, but see opportunities in expansion, renewables, and possible diversification as the next generation grows. With sustainability, staff wellbeing and family continuity at its core, Brookside Farming is building a business designed to endure.
Geoffrey & Rosemary Brown - Derbyshire鈥�
At Bluebell Dairy, Geoffrey and Rosemary Brown have combined their passion for dairy farming with entrepreneurial flair to create one of the country's most distinctive farm diversification stories.
Farming 120 hectares as tenants, their beloved dairy herd sits at the heart of the business, producing the rich, creamy milk that goes straight from parlour to production in their on-site ice creamery. Milked by a state-of-the-art robotic system, the cows benefit from being milked on their own schedule while health and performance can be monitored in real time – ensuring welfare and quality go hand in hand.
That milk is transformed just metres away into small-batch, artisan ice cream, a product that has become both an award-winning success and the centrepiece of a thriving farm diversification. With a café, farm park and seasonal events, the Browns have built a sustainable, experience-driven business that welcomes thousands of visitors every year and connects the public directly with farming.
Innovation has been central to their journey, from robotics and solar panels on the farm, to new attractions such as a toboggan run in the park. Their commitment to regenerative farming, herbal leys, and low-input crop rotations also underpins a strong sustainability agenda, building resilience against climate change and reducing their environmental footprint.
Now supported by more than 70 staff, Bluebell Dairy has grown into a balanced, diversified enterprise where agriculture, education, and community come together. For Geoffrey and Rosemary, success is measured not only in sales, but also in happy cows, healthy soils, and visitors leaving with smiles – and a new appreciation for British farming.
Taking place on 16 October at The VOX in Birmingham, the event will welcome industry professionals from across the country to celebrate British agriculture and the successes it has had this year.
Get your tickets here to celebrate with the finalists at The British Farming Awards:
