Each team, in this weekend's competition, have just two hours and fifteen minutes to break down a range of primal meat cuts and turn them into a world class display of pre-determined products and their own creations.
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| Butchery Team Ireland are focused on ensuring they remain Best Butchers in the World! |
Ireland is the current reigning World Champion with the Best Butchers in the World title and this nine-strong Irish team will compete at the next World Butchery Challenge which is taking place in Sacramento, California, in 2020. The team is made up with Butchers from all over the island of Ireland.
The World Butchers' Challenge will see teams of six butchers, each team representing different countries from around the world, going head to head. The butchers will have to go in front of a team of highly qualified judges, preparing innovative and creative meat products.
Leading the team is team Ireland's captain Keith Walsh, from Eddie Walsh & Sons in Donegal Town.
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Keith Walsh, from Eddie Walsh & Sons in Donegal Town is the Team Captain |
Keith is joined in the team by his uncle Liam Walsh, also from Eddie Walsh & Sons butchers in Donegal Town, who is competing following his success in the team in 2018.
Also on the team is Conor Reynolds, who recently won gold at the International Young Butcher competition in Perth and will represent the team in the young butcher category from M & W Farm Meats, Portadown Co.Armagh.
The other members of team Ireland include:
- vice-captain Paul Hamilton from Gary Coote Meats, Fivemiletown
- WBC Ireland Judge Sean McKay from McKay's Family Butchers in Ballycastle
- Jim Murphy from Murphy's Family Butchers, Tullow
- Ger O Callaghan from Drinagh Eurospar, Skibereen
- Bryan McNamee from B & M Meats, Newry
- Steven Dobson from Dunbia, Dungannon.
“Our win in 2018 was incredibly tough as the competition from across the world is extremely high, and our win was hard fought, but we don’t intend on giving up our crown." said Keith Walsh, team captain. "For the next 12 months, the team and I are focused on ensuring Team Ireland remains the Best Butchers in the World,” he added.
Team Ireland is managed by Rhonda Montgomery from Butchery Excellence International.
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| Rhonda Montgomery from Butchery Excellence International. |
"Team Ireland will be demonstrating how our win in 2018 - the first year that Team Ireland competed – wasn’t down to the ‘luck of the Irish’ – it was a true reflection of the level of skill of our butchers here in NI and Ireland.” said Rhonda Montgomery.
For the next 16 months Team Ireland will be in training for the World Butchery Challenge, which is taking place in September 2020.
Wishing the Best of Success to the Irish Butchery Team!
Zack
