A TALENTED Wrexham butcher has won a bronze medal at the World Champion Butcher Apprentice competition.

Ben Roberts from Overton-on-Dee represented the Craft Butchery Team Wales at the World Butchers' Challenge held in Sacramento, California on Friday (September 2).

The 30-year-old had to wait until an awards ceremony in the early hours of this morning (Monday, September 5 UK time) - to discover the result.

And Ben was overjoyed to have found out that he finished in the top three.

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Ten apprentice butchers from around the globe competed, with the Craft Butchery Team Wales making its debut.

After receiving his bronze trophy, Ben said: "Wow, third in the world. I just want to thank everyone who has backed and supported me through this incredible journey. A huge thank you for the mega support from all the lads in the team, our sponsors and my family.

“It was an incredibly tough competition and the skill level, as you would expect for the ‘Olympics of Meat’, was very high. It was challenging with the variation in meat between the USA and UK, but I am proud to have given it my all and have hopefully done Wales proud.”

In the team competition, which took place on Saturday, the Craft Butchery Team Wales didn’t make it into the top three on their debut but team co-ordinator Chris Jones was proud of the Welsh butchers. Thirteen national teams competed.

“I am super proud of all the lads,” he said. “They have all worked their socks off and did Wales proud in the competition against the best butchers from around the globe.”

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PIC: Craft Butchery Team Wales flying the Welsh flag over in California.

In his competition, Ben had just two and half hours to break down a range of primal cuts into a display of pre-determined products and their own creations.

The team competition ran over three hours and 15 minutes, with competing teams given a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens which they must then transform into a themed display of value-added products.

Independent judges score each team based on technique and skill, workmanship, product innovation, overall finish and presentation.

The competition was hosted at the Golden 1 Centre in Sacramento and the awards ceremony was held at the city’s Memorial Auditorium.

The Craft Butchery Team Wales comprises of Ben Roberts, Peter Rushforth from Innovative Food Ingredients, Lytham St Annes, who is captain, Craig Holly, from Chris Hayman Butchers, Maesycymer, Hengoed, Tom Jones from Jones Brothers, Wrexham, Matthew Edwards, a lecturer at Coleg Cambria, Connah’s Quay, Dan Raftery from Meat Masters Butchers, Newtown and Liam Lewis from Hawarden Farm Shop.