Twenty seven-year-old Lane, the only woman in the inter-island competition, won the Auckland/Northland Regional Butcher Apprentice of the Year title in 2011 and completed her three-year butchery apprenticeship at Pak'nSave in November last year. Before butchery, she was a computer technician.
She said being female in a predominantly male environment had its advantages.
"I specialise in gourmet meat cuts and pastry. I put all the frilly, girly stuff on products like beef Wellingtons that the guys don't," she said.
The pressure will be on for the 10 regional winners, who will be subjected to a full day of intense competition, with no lack of incentive. Up for grabs is a study tour of the UK, where the winners will support the national butcher team, the Pure South Sharp Blacks, as they defend their title in the Butchery Tri Nations.
The competition is supported by Alto Packaging, Competenz, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Dunninghams, Hellers, Kerry Ingredients, New Zealand Pork, Wedderburn, Wilson Hellaby, Cabernet Foods, Natural Farm and Tegel.