Six of Australia’s top butchers – The Makani Australian Butcher Team – are undergoing final training in Sydney ahead of their trip to Paris to take on the world’s best butchers at the World Butchers’ Challenge on 31 March, 2025.
Readying his team to compete against 13 other nations next month, Team Captain, Luke Leyson.“We’re excited and to be honest the next couple of months couldn’t come quick enough. Our apprentices and young butchers have been head down, bum up working on their displays and products,” Luke said.
“As for the senior team, we know what we have to do to give ourselves the best chance of winning over in Paris. The competition is as strong as ever and that’s great to see.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to getting out there to compete and cut meat alongside my mates.”
The Makani Australian Senior Butcher team includes Captain, Luke Leyson (SA), Brett Laws (NSW), Craig Munro (NSW), Garreth Gorringe (NSW), Tom Bouchier (VIC), Troy Wheeler (VIC) and Gary Thompson (Qld).
Preceding this event, four of Australia’s top, young butchers will also compete in the World Champion Butcher Apprentice & Young Butcher Competitions.
Outside of Australia, The NZ Hellers Sharp Blacks (pictured) and Great Britain’s, Team GB: UK Lions (pictured) are also readying themselves for a tough competition with final trainings being completed in their respective countries.
Competing in the World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butchers competitions is the iKONpack Young Australian Butcher Team including: Young Butchers’, Justin Wade (VIC) and Matthew Papandrea (NSW). Butcher Apprentice’s include Kai Dennis (Qld) and Jim McCaffery (VIC).
First established in 2011 as a trans-Tasman rivalry between New Zealand and Australia, the competition has since grown into a global event. In 2025, it will bring together 14 nations to compete in the World Butchers Challenge on Monday, 31 March, in Paris, France.
In 2025, The World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) has expanded its worldwide reach to five continents with new, participating nations within Asia and Europe, including: Indonesia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Romania, and Spain.
To learn more visit www.worldbutcherschallenge.com
All the very best from all of us at The Australian Butchers Guild (ABG)! The ABG have been a major supporter of this competition since its inception in 2011 and appreciate the dedication, time and effort each team member has brought to the block proudly displaying their expertise, knowledge and skills that are required to be a retail butcher today. We would also like to thank and congratulate the employers and TAFE trainers who are keeping the craft of retail butchery alive! Bring home the Gold boys!!
** The image in the article is Butcher – Brett Laws, aka butcher_lawsy” from the Australian Team**