Butchers from across the lower South Island sharpened their knives and sliced their way through a two-hour competition in the regional stages of the young butcher and butcher of the year competitions in Dunedin on Friday.
Taylor Wyllie (28) won the young butcher of the year category .
"It’s pretty cool," Mr Wyllie said.
Isaac Webster (30) won the butcher apprentice of the year category.
"I was stoked," Mr Webster said.
The contestants put their boning, trimming, slicing and dicing skills to the test as they broke down a size 20 chicken, a whole pork leg, and a beef short loin.
The two butchers from New World Gardens in North Dunedin were the triumphant winners.
The regional competition is one in a national series to find New Zealand’s top butchers to compete in a grand final showdown in Auckland on November 10.
