2009 MEAT SKILLS NORTHERN IRELAND Four finalists in each category – Under 22 and Over 22 – contested the finals held on Sunday 6th September in the Castle Upton Suite at the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick. Over 200 butchers came along to watch the competition that was very fierce with excellent skills displayed by all.

Frazer Orr from Angus Farm Shop, Greyabbey (above receiving his award from John Proctor of the Meat Training Council Fund), came through to win the Young Butcher title and the overall winner of Meat Skills Northern Ireland was Declan Robinson from O`Kane Meats in Claudy. PICTURES FROM MEAT SKILLS NORTHERN IRELAND Meat Skills Northern Ireland Finalists Finalists in the Over 22 category /// Finalists in the Under 22 category Declan Robinson, O’Kane Meats, Claudy. Aaron Rutledge, Mr Eatwell’s, Omagh Clinton Anthony, Mr Eatwell’s, Omagh Michael Corbett, McAufield Butchers, Belfast Gregory McGlinchey, Gregory Meats, Ballykelly Rudi Skester, Stewarts Family Butchers, Enniskillen Aidan Tierney, Swifts Supervalu, Lisnaskea Frazer Orr, Angus Farm Shop, Greyabbey /// The Over 22 Final entrants were allocated 2½ hours starting at 2.30pm to work with:- Compulsory:-                       One Leg of Pork (chump and foot on)                                               Two Chickens (minimum weight 2 kilos.)                                                                                                Thick Flank of Beef (approx weight 8 kilos) The Under 22 Final the entrants were allocated 2½ hours starting at 11.00am to work with:- Compulsory:-                          One Shoulder of Pork (cut between fourth and fifth rib)                                                Two Chickens (minimum weight 2 kilos.)                                                One Pair Loins of Lamb (cut between 5th and 6th, chump off.) BEEF, LAMB AND PORK FOR THE FINALS KINDLY SPONSORED BY   POULTRY SUPPLIED BY ROCKVALE POULTRY   The twenty five entrants in the Northern Ireland Meat Skills Competition were judged during the first fortnight in June.  Four in each category – Under 22 and Over 22 – progressed to the final held on Sunday 6th September at the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick. An experienced and independent judge, George Lees, from the Scottish Borders was invited to judge the heats and select the best entrants to go forward to the final in Templepatrick.  Mr Lees was very impressed by the large number of entries for the first ever Meats Skills Northern Ireland competition organized by Scottish Meat Training.  All entrants made a very favourable impact on the judge who said:- “The standard was extremely good especially considering that all entrants were first time competitors in such an event.  Every business visited was very helpful and accommodating and no praise would be too high for the enthusiasm and attitude of the entrants demonstrated throughout my two week judging tour of butchers in Northern Ireland .”

PICTURES FROM MEAT SKILLS NORTHERN IRELAND

Winner of the Speciality Sausage Competition were Stewart Butchers, Enniskillen for their Irish Herb Sausage. Shane and Aisling received their Diamond Award from Steve Derrick of sponsors Lucas Ingredients. 2009 MEAT SKILLS NORTHERN IRELAND SPECIALITY SAUSAGE EVALUATION You think of it butchers made sausages with it in the Speciality Sausage Evaluation held at Meat Skills Northern Ireland event at Templepatrick on Sunday 6th September.  Ingredients ranging from Magners to Mango, Guinness to Ginger and Haggis to Honey as butchers blended beef, pork, bacon, lamb, chicken and turkey into some of the most imaginative sausages to come together for some time. In total 111 entries were evaluated with the judges awarded gold and silver awards to chose that took their fancy and the top award – Diamond went to Stewarts Family Butchers in Enniskillen. All evaluation sheets will be returned to the entrants along with certificates for any awards won. DIAMOND AWARD - for best Speciality Sausage Irish Herb Sausage Stewarts Family Butchers of Enniskillen GOLD AWARDS Pork & Pepper Sausage Angus Farm Shop Greyabbey Pork, Honey & Mustard Sausage Angus Farm Shop Greyabbey Pork & Leek Sausage Burns Butcher Cloughmills Chilli & Cheese Pork Sausage Clogher Valley Meats   Pork & Caramelised Red Onion Sausage Coffey`s Butchers Belfast Beef & Cracked Black Pepper Sausage Gerard Wilson Crossgar Pork & Carmelised Onion Sausage Gregory Meats Ballykelly Cantonese Pork Sausage Gregory Meats Ballykelly Smokey Bacon & Leek Pork Sausage Hillstown Farm Shop Randalstown Aberdeen Angus Steak and Onion Sausage Hillstown Farm Shop Randalstown Beef Sausage Irwin, Greenmount Farm Portadown Beef with cracked black pepper Sausage Mr Eatwells Omagh Indian Pork with Mango Sausage K & G McAtamney Ballymena Smoked Pork with Sundried Tomato, Bacon & Red Pepper K & G McAtamney Ballymena Lamb with Rosemary & Garlic Sausage K & G McAtamney Ballymena Pork, Cheddar & Carmelised Onion Sausage K & G McAtamney Ballymena Pork & Garlic Sausage L A Richardson Linaskea Pork Sausage Maze Meats Lisburn Carmelised ? & Tarragon Beef Sausage McCreery`s  Belfast Lemon Pepper Sausage McCreery`s  Belfast Pork & Homemade Chutney Sausage McMaster, Home Farm Meats Whitehead Magners Pork Apple & Rosemary Norman Hunter & Son Limavady Pork & French Garlic Sausage O`Kane Meats Claudy Pork Sausage Quails Fine Foods Banbridge Pork & Mango Sausage Quails Fine Foods Banbridge Beef & Caramelised Onion Sausage Quails Fine Foods Banbridge Pork, Bacon & Cabbage Sausage McMurray Family Butchers Carrickfergus Pork, black pudding, white pudding, bacon, onion mushroom & tomato Sausage McMurray Family Butchers Carrickfergus Premier Steak & Vegetable Sausage John`s Family Butchers Belfast Pork, Leek & Mustard Sausage Stewarts Family Butchers Enniskillen Pork & Spring Onion Sausage Williamsons butchers Lisburn Sweet Chilli Pork Sausage Williamsons butchers Lisburn SILVER AWARDS Pork & Bramley Apple Sausage Burns Butcher Cloughmills Pork, Tomato & cracked Black Pepper  Clogher Valley Meats   Pork Sausages with Cranberries & Cracked Black Pepper Coffey`s Butchers Belfast Pork, Leek & Murphys Stout Sausages Coffey`s Butchers Belfast Steak Sausage with Sweet Chilli & Cracked Black Pepper Coffey`s Butchers Belfast Steak, Tomato & Chilli Sausage Gerard Wilson Crossgar Jane Ross Cabbage & Smoked Bacon Sausage Gregory Meats Ballykelly Honeycomb Pork Sausage Gregory Meats Ballykelly Steak & cracked Black Pepper Sausage Gregory Meats Ballykelly Rare Breed hog & Champion Haggis Sausage Hillstown Farm Shop Randalstown Rare Breed Pork with Tomato & Onion Sausage Hillstown Farm Shop Randalstown Pork and Leek Sausage Irwin, Greenmount Farm Portadown Beef, Pepper & Tomato Sausage Irwin, Greenmount Farm Portadown Pork Sweet Chilli and Cheese Sausage J S Mr Eatwells Omagh Chicken with Smoked Bacon & Tarragon Sausage K & G McAtamney Ballymena Hawaiian Pork Sausage L A Richardson Linaskea Pork, Leek & Stilton Sausage L A Richardson Linaskea Carribean Sausage Marquess Meats Muckamore Pork & Leek Sausage Maze Meats Lisburn Carmelised Apple & Sage Pork Sausage McCreery`s  Belfast Barbecue Pork Sausage McElroy Brothers Newry Mushroom & Pepper Pork Sausage Meat Joint Newtonstewart Pork Cheese & Brown Sauce Sausage Meat Joint Newtonstewart Traditional Pork Sausage Meat Joint Newtonstewart Turkey, Apple & Cranberry Sausage O`Kane Meats Claudy Pork, Pineapple & Mango Sausage O`Kane Meats Claudy Pork Cabbage & Smoked Bacon O`Kane Meats Claudy Pork & Leek Sausage Quails Fine Foods Banbridge Pork & Smokey Bacon Sausage Quails Fine Foods Banbridge Beef & Thai Curry Sausage R Jones Butcher Carrickfergus Mexican & Beef Sausage R Jones Butcher Carrickfergus Pork & Cranberry Sausage R Jones Butcher Carrickfergus Steak Sausage   Ryan Mawhinney Belfast Le Bordeaux Stewarts Family Butchers Enniskillen In total there were 33 Golds and 34 Silvers in addition to the one Diamonds. A big thank you to entrants for their support and to sponsors Lucas Ingredients.