Eight of the best 18 to 23 year old butchers from across the UK will compete for the title of Premier Young Butcher 2016 at Foodex next month.
Competing for the title will be 23-year-old level 3 Meat and Processing apprentice with Scottish Training, Erin Conroy, who currently works at Fallenich Farm Shop in Stirling, Scotland.
Erin will be joined by her colleague and fellow level 3 Meat and Poultry apprentice, Stuart Rankin.
Representing Northern Ireland and Clogher Valley Meats in Country Tyrone will be Dylan Gillespie. Gillespie is also the current Butchery World Skills bronze medallist.
Also from Northern Ireland is 20-year-old level 3 Food Industry Skills apprentice, James Gracey who works at Quayles Fine Foods in Dromore, County Antrim.
James Henshaw from Taylors Farm Shop in Lathom, Lancashire is looking to follow in the footsteps of 2013 finalist, Benjamin Peel, and 2015 Premier Young Butcher champion, Lucy Crawshaw, both of Taylors Farm Shop, and carry on the success of the shop. The 18-year-old is currently a level 2 Meat Ipswich apprentice.
Stafford College catering student and Aubrey Allen employee, Harry Smith, will also be competing, as will Meat Ipswich level 3 apprentice, James Taylor, from Simpsons Butchers in Heckington, Norfolk.
Elsie Yardley from Priors Hall Farm near Dunmow in Essex completes the line-up for the competition, which will see the talented individuals showcase their butchery craft skills.
The competition will take place on the second day of Foodex on Tuesday 19th April, at the Birmingham NEC.
The Premier Young Butcher Competition is organised by the National Federation of Meat and Food Traders (NFMFT).
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
