Holbeach butcher Ben is looking forward to competing in the ‘Meat Olympics’

A butcher is delighted that he has been re-selected to represent his country — and could be on his way to Paris to take part in the Olympics of the meat world.

Ben Tindale, manager at G Shearer & Son Butchers, in Dam Gate, Holbeach, first represented Team GB at the World Butcher’s Challenge, held in California, back in 2022.

He was team vice-captain, competed in the team event and picked up an individual award for World’s Best Pork Product.

Now he is hoping to be among the squad which heads out to Paris next March to try to win the coveted gold medal and title of ‘best in the world’.

“I’m very honoured to be selected again,” said Ben, “and I’m really excited to be working alongside such a talented bunch of individuals from across the UK.

“We’ve got an intense training period ahead of us as we try to figure out how we best work together and find our positions within the team, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Ben was previously invited to be part of the team by captain Simon Taylor but this time, due to structural changes within the team including the introduction of a governing board, he was among more than 40 butchers all vying for a spot in the new look Team GB UK Lions.

After submitting a letter and taking part in an interview Ben was delighted to learn he was one of 19 to make the cut. This number will then be whittled down to ten who will compete across The Channel.

The WBC involves three competitions – six butchers competing as a team, two taking part in the young butchers’ category and two more in the apprentice discipline.

Ben will join his teammates for the first round of training at Plumpton College, in East Sussex, at the end of the month.

Customers can keep up to date on Ben’s journey to Paris via the shop’s newsletter, which you can sign up to at sherearbutchers.co.uk