CONDITIONS OF ENTRY & RULES –
Conditions of Entry & Rules
- You must be under 25 years of age and a registered butchery apprentice.
- You must be registered with a recognised meat training college.
- Each butchery apprentice must bring their own butchery tools (knives, meat saw, burger presses etc.), appropriate clothing, and wear appropriate safety clothing (chainmail gloves and stab-proof (eg chainmail) aprons).
- Each butchery apprentice will be provided with the following meat primal cuts:
• Bone-in Loin of Pork
• Whole Leg & Chump of Lamb
• Knuckle of Beef (thick flank of beef)
• Two Chickens - Each butchery apprentice will need to make a minimum of one added value product from each species of meat.
- Each butchery apprentice will need to bring their own fresh ingredients and herbs for making value added meat products or for garnishing.
- Each butchery apprentice can bring additional ingredients to aid the making of value added products, for example, pastry, cheeses, sliced bacon, charcuterie sliced meats, tinned kidney beans, tinned pineapple, tinned fruit, dried fruit, black pudding, and haggis.
- Each butchery apprentice must bring and use ingredients manufactured by our key sponsors Lucas, Verstegen, RAPS and MRC. Teams are free to choose any flavours from our sponsor’s ranges. You may also create your own blended seasonings if you wish.
- Display table area, each butchery apprentice will be provided with one 6ft x 3ft trestle table (183cm x 91cm)
- Display table area, each butchery apprentice must organise everything they need for their display, each must bring their own display cloths, display trays, display bowls, risers, banners, and props.
- Each product in the display must be accompanied by a ticket which details the product name and cooking instructions.
- Each display must have a creative, encouraging, and inspiring theme.
- After the display is completed, all meat for further processing needs to be clearly labelled on the table top.
- Each butchery apprentice will have a work station – 1 x work top tables, 1 x large cutting boards, mixing bowls, waste bin and meat waste trays.
- A communal machinery station will be available – 2 x mincers, 2 x scales, 2 x sausage power fillers.
- A communal sink and wash area will be available (hot and cold water)
- Each butchery apprentice will have 2 hours to prepare and complete their meat display.
- Display area and work station can be assembled 30mins before the competition starts – setting up back drops, banners, trays, and tickets etc. and, organise your work station.
- The competing butchery apprentices will be judged on the following criteria: theme, butchery skills, innovation, display skills, workmanship, health and hygiene, cleanliness, utilisation of waste and trim, amount and quality of products produced in the time allocated.
- When the display is completed, the judges will choose their best innovative meat products from each meat species. Products will be nominated for the following awards:
• Best Apprentice Innovative Pork Product
• Best Apprentice Innovative Beef Product
• Best Apprentice Innovative Lamb Product
• Best Apprentice Innovative Chicken Product - Judges will examine each selected product and will be judged on the following criteria: raw appearance, cookability, commercial viability, taste, innovation and creativity.
- The overall judge’s decisions are final.
Categories to be Won
• Battle of the Butchers 2026 Butchery Apprentice Challenge – Winner
• Best Apprentice Innovative Pork Product 2026
• Best Apprentice Innovative Beef Product 2026
• Best Apprentice Innovative Lamb Product 2026
• Best Apprentice Innovative Chicken Product 2026
COMPETITION DAY
– Sunday 14th June 2026
Timings TBC
BATTLE OF THE BUTCHERS AWARDS CEREMONY
– Sunday 14th June 2026
Celebration with all the key media – BBC and local media
TBC – Battle of the Butchers Awards Ceremony:
• Best Apprentice Innovative Pork Product 2026
• Best Apprentice Innovative Beef Product 2026
• Best Apprentice Innovative Lamb Product 2026
• Best Apprentice Innovative Chicken Product 2026
• Battle of the Butchers 2026 Butchery Apprentice Challenge – Winner
Battle of the Butchers 2026
Managed and implemented by The Institute of Meat, PO Box 6404, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 6DX
Phone: 07824 413645 | Email: Danny.Upson@dalziel.co.uk
