WBC 2025 head judge announced as former Team GB captain David Lishman
The World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) has announced its new head judge for the 2025 event as Great Britain’s David Lishman – previous three time captain of the Team GB for WBC events across a ten-year period.
Lishman was part of a team – involving Great Britain’s Trade Board – who spearheaded the drive to bring an earlier version of the WBC event to Yorkshire, England in 2014, where he also captained Team GB.
The ninth WBC will be held at Paris Arena Sud 6, part of the Paris Expo Exhibition Centre, the Paris 2024 Olympics venue.
Alongside business partner and daughter Emma Lishman, David Lishman owns Lishman’s Butchers & Charcutiers – a traditional butchery business in the Yorkshire Dales of England – which won the coveted title of Best Butchers Shop of the Year for Great Britain in 2017.
The September edition of Meat Management magazine features an in-depth interview with Lishman discussing all things butchery – from his latest shop refurbish to locally produced livestock to the growth of the Lishman’s team, he tells of the importance of local farmers and customers to the business and the butchery trade.
Teams should stick to tradition for the WBC
On receiving the call about his nomination and then appointment as Head Judge, Lishman said: “I was hugely honoured. I have watched with great admiration as to how this event has grown to be the global contest it is now. I have big shoes to fill.”
“It’s the butcher’s duty to make the most of the carcass… and set an example to the rest of the meat industry that the product in front of them gets the respect it deserves.”
David Lishman.
With regard to passing any advice onto teams already preparing for the 2025 WBC, Lishman noted: “Naturally we want to see traditional crafts and skills from the teams but with modern products and cuts that would entice the public to buy and try in a retail environment.
“Be clean, efficient and avoid waste. Use every part available. It’s the butcher’s duty to make the most of the carcass – which was once a living animal – and set an example to the rest of the meat industry that the product in front of them gets the respect it rightly deserves.”
Welcoming a new Head Judge in 2025
The Head Judge oversees a panel of judges, made up by the nomination of one judge from each competing nation.
Lishman will supersede former Head Judge and New Zealander Todd Heller, who has been a crucial part of the growth of the WBC from a grassroots trans-tasman event to the largest butchery event on earth.
World Butchers’ Challenge Chairman, Rod Slater, said: “Todd has played a pivotal role in shaping the WBC since its inception in 2011, ensuring that the competition is revered by our global community as one of the best butchery events in the world. We want to thank Todd for his expertise, professionalism and commitment over the last 12 years.
“In the same vein, we welcome David Lishman into the role of Head Judge. We are confident that as someone who has already been a key part of the WBC community for many years, David will bring that same level of expertise and commitment but with a new flair as the competition continues to grow and evolve globally.”
Information about the event and registration details can be found here.
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