Pair steak reputation

Karren and Chris Biddles, pictured with former Beef and Lamb NZ chair Mike Petersen, were judged Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Producers of the Decade in 2012.

Multiple winners of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Steak of Origin competition Chris and Karren Biddles, of Te Kopuru, are back for another tilt at the title this year.

The couple, who first won the competition in 2007, took the Producer of the Decade title in 2012 and won again in 2013, have four Angus entries, all processed by Auckland Meat Processors, among the 28 semifinalists in the "Best of breed - British" category of this year's competition.

Colin Maxwell, of Kaeo, also has an Angus semifinalist, processed at Affco Moerewa, in the same category.

The semifinalists are the top 20 per cent in each of the Zoetis-sponsored competition's five categories, which this year attracted a total of 345 entries.

Semifinalists were determined by Carne Technologies' tests for tenderness and colour.

They will go through to the semifinal at Auckland University of Technology tomorrow, where they will be tasted by a panel of chefs and food writers.

The judging panel will decide which 20 steaks will move through to the grand final at Palmerston North on May 15.

John Hammond, of Kaitaia, has two Simmental entries, both processed at Silver Fern Farms Dargaville, among the six semifinalists in the "Best of Breed - European" category.

He is up against two Simmental entries from Jon Knauf, of Wairoa, another Simmental entered by Tony Partridge, of Leeston, a Piedmontese entry from Don Buchanan, of Taumarunui, and a TBC entry from Angus and Forbes Cameron, of Ashhurst.

There are no Northlanders among the nine entries in the Crossbreed category this year, but a Simon Eriksen Neat Meat farmer partnership with Guy Sargent, of Palmerston North, has an Angus entry from Chris and Karren Biddles' farm at Te Kopuru, processed at Auckland Meat Processors, among the 13 entries in the competition's "Best of Brand - Retail" category.

The Neat Meat partnership has three similar Angus entries, also processed at Auckland Meat Processors, among the dozen semifinal entries in the "Best of Brand - Wholesale and Foodservice" category.