North Canterbury News: September 24, 2020

NEWS
4 North Canterbury News, September 24, 2020
Samantha shines in butchery contest
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Impressive display ... Samantha Weller’s efforts caught the eye of judges.
ARangiora butcher has cut her
way to the top after apressureladen
two­hour competition.
Samantha Weller, from
PAK’nSAVE Rangiora, won the
Alto Young Butcher of the Year
title at the Upper South Island
regional 2020 competition.
She was up against butchers
from across the upper South
Island who sharpened their
knives and cut their way
through atwo­hour competition
in the regional stages of the
2020 Alto Young Butcher and
ANZCO Foods Butcher
Apprentice of the Year
competition.
Samantha is no stranger to
the competition.
It was the fifth time she
entered, and she says there are
many positives to competing.
She says it provides young
butchers with the chance to
learn new skills, meet new
people and profile their
careers.
“I believe my final display
gave me the edge this year —I
worked really hard to make it
pop,” Samantha says.
‘‘I am really looking forward
to the grand final now and have
abunch of new ideas for my
next display.’’
The contestants put their
boning, trimming, slicing and
dicing skills to the test as they
broke down asize 20 chicken, a
whole pork leg, and abeef short
loin into adisplay of valueadded
products.
Blair Wright, from Peter
Timbs Meats in Christchurch,
claimed first spot in the ANZCO
Foods Butcher Apprentice of
the Year category.
Samantha and Blair will
compete in the grand final on
November 10 at the ASB
Showgrounds in Auckland,
where they will further
showcase their skills, creativity
and knowledge of the trade
against the best in the country.
Head Judge Peter Martin,
who is the butchery manager of
Fresh Choice in Cromwell, is a
strong advocate of butchery
competitions.
“I believe the gains are huge
for every entrant who has had to
plan, practise and come up with
creative ideas in order to
compete against their peers
today.
“It not only boosts their
confidence, but helps to raise
the standard in the industry”.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Peter is particularly excited
about the new mentorship
programme introduced to the
competition this year, which
has helped guide and support
entrants, giving them the
confidence to put their best
knife forward on the day.
Alongside industry and peer
recognition, the winning Alto
Young Butcher and ANZCO
Foods Butcher Apprentice of
the Year receive atrophy and a
study tour.
Stability
concerns
Aproposed shared
pathway for walkers and
cyclists on Flaxton Road
has gone back to the
drawing board.
Waimakariri District
Council staff have been
designing ashared
pathway alongside the
drainonthe westernside
of Flaxton Road, between
LinesideRoad and
Kingsford Smith Drive.
But investigations into
the long­term stabilityof
the drain banks showed
the proposed pathway
created an increasedrisk
of the path collapsing or
slumpinginto the drain.
If the pathwas to remain
on the western side,a
largelength of the drain
bank would need
substantialearthworks,
adding significant costs.
Staffare now talking to
businessesaboutpossibly
moving the path to the
eastern side of the road.
Rangiora­Ashley
Community Board chairman
Jim Gerard says the
boardbacks the proposal.
“We see the benefitsin
relocatingthe path.
‘‘We lookforward to
working with (local
businesses) and hearing
theirfeedback, which will
go to the council on
October 6for afinal
recommendation.”
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