Four Hawke's Bay butchers make the cut at regional level

Justin Hinchco of Waipawa Butchery is one of four Bay butchers looking to carve a place in the national competition. Photo / Warren Buckland

Four Hawke's Bay butchers are vying for a spot in the finals of the prestigious Butcher Apprentice of the Year and the Butcher of the Year competitions.

The second of three regional competition events is set to take to the chopping block in Wellington on July 20 with Aaron Pohatu and Kyle Lambert from New World Greenmeadows, along with Justin Hinchco from Waipawa Butchery, sharpening up for the Alto Butcher of the Year section.

Matt Englebretsen from The Organic Farm Butchery in Hastings will be taking part in the ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice of the Year competition.

The successful entrants in each of the regional rounds will continue on to the grand final which will be staged in Auckland on September 6 where they will get to test their cuttings skills, creativity and knowledge of the trade against the best in the land.

Hincho has tasted success in the past, having made the finals as one of country's top 10 butchers in the Butcher of the Year competition.

While he missed out there he had, however, picked up the title of Lower North Island Butcher of the Year in 2016.

Lambert has also tasted success, being part of a three-butcher team to take a bronze award at the 2014 Devro NZ Sausage Competition.

Competition head judge Matt Grimes has been involved in the competition for 13 years and said the skills needed to become a great butcher were ever expanding.

"Butchers from this generation are skilled in so many areas, be it recommending recipes or understanding where their meat is sourced from," he said.

"Each year I am in awe of the extensive knowledge of our upcoming talent – our industry is in good hands."