The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland has a historic reputation for recognising and rewarding excellence. As agriculture and rural industry has evolved, the RHASS has responded with appropriate changes to its annual awards.

Technical Innovation is pivotal to the future of Scotland’s key industries, whether in keeping with the industry, improving the environment, promoting best practice or ensuring operator safety and comfort.

RHASS say they are confident its Technical Innovation Awards, sponsored by Hillhouse Quarry Group are an important and influential accolade for manufacturers, distributors, providers and inventors they provide a distinctive and prestigious means to promote new ideas, whether conceived in the farm workshop or on the test benches of multi-national manufacturers.

Designed to encourage and recognise innovation in the design and manufacture of machines, equipment and appliances which advance the effective and efficient practice of either agriculture, horticulture, equestrian, forestry, renewable energy or estate services, the awards are judged and benchmarked on individual merit.

Entries for the awards must be machine, appliances, technical components or important ancillary equipment. The equipment should have positive benefit to agriculture and/or agricultural business, horticulture, equestrian, forestry or estate services. Entries should be commercially available or be prototypes in development.

Entries are judged on an individual basis by a panel of judges from the RHASS Board.

The judging process takes into account user feedback, product features, all information and literature submitted and available as well as any sales pitch provided and observations on any working demonstrations witnessed.

Judging takes place between Mid-March and May with the awards being presented at the Show. Successful entrants will be notified and are invited to attend the official presentation award ceremony on Saturday 25th June.

Full details about the entry process can be found on the Show website.

Entries should be made on the official entry form, downloadable from the Royal Highland Show website www.royalhighlanshow.org.

All applications should be submitted to the Trade Stand department: tradestands@rhass.org.uk and any queries should be sent to Trade Stands Manager, Mags Clark, Tel 0131 335 6217 or at magsc@rhass.org.uk.

The closing date for entries is 1st March 2016; however they do have some discretion on this.

Below are some examples of previous winners: