UK Lions butchery squad announced as battle in Paris beckons!

The UK Lions squad for World Butchers Challenge in Paris 2025 has been revealed today. Nineteen butchers from around the country have secured a coveted place in the squad, after being chosen from dozens of applicants to join the UK Lions.  

With industry backing from the newly formed Team GB board, the UK Lions start training in May preparing to do battle on the biggest butchery stage in the world.

The three-day competition, also known as the Butchery Olympics, will feature butchers from 15 countries around the globe in a series of high-level challenges designed to test the skills and experience of the best in the business.

A Team GB board was formed earlier this year to ensure a British team was represented in the most prestigious and well publicised butchery competition in the world. The board benefits from the expertise of representatives from National Craft Butchers, AHDB, The Dalesman Group, Scottish Craft Butchers, Dalebrook, Institute of Meat, Q Guild, and previous Team Captain Simon Taylor.  With support already pledged from QMS and other industry partners they launched a call for entries earlier this year. The successful applicants can now step up and take their place in the UK Lions squad. They are:

From England:

• Lee Ashcroft from The Butchers Blade
• Marcus Broughton Pipkin from Temper Restaurant
• Henry Curd from Paley Farm
• Matt Everest from South Downs Butchers
• Connor Fell, from C G Fell & Sons
• Luke Hrachovec from Good Trees Farm
• Patrick Millward, J F Bishops
• Steve Owens from Lidgates Butchers
• Connor Ringrose from Ringrose Butchers
• Mia Tamburrini from Raise the Steaks
• Simon Taylor, Surrey Hills Butchers
• Ben Tindale, G Shearer Butchers
• Elsie Yardley, Great Garnett’s

From Scotland:

• Helena Akroyd from Bel’s Butchers
• Richard Megahy from Simon Howie
• Ben Megahy from Simon Howie
• James Mitchell from Coopers Butchers
• Kirsty Neil from Scott Brothers
• Ryan Tierney from Kinnaird Butchers

After months of intense preparation and practice the final six from the 19-strong Lions squad will be unveiled. This ‘dream team’ will then go forward to compete in the World Butchers Challenge Arena along with teams from 14 other countries. Each team will also nominate a member to compete in the World Butchers Challenge Butcher Apprentice category and the Young Butcher Challenge on March 30 and 31.

The first gathering of the UK Lions squad will be a training session at Plumpton College in late May with further training sessions planned before the team to compete in Paris is chosen.

 ‘The board are all passionate about supporting the industry and wanted to ensure there was a Team GB competing in Paris and promoting our industry. The journey to Paris for our squad is just as important as the competition and I speak for all the board when I say we are delighted to support our industry in this way.’

Team GB Board chair, Simon Coles, of The Dalesman Group

’This is a global competition, the likes of which I’ve never seen before, it genuinely puts our industry on the pedestal it deserves, showcasing the true tradition and skillset of butchery. In the story of British field to fork, butchery is often missed out. This competition gives us a spotlight on everything this industry does for our food system.’

Simon Taylor, previous Team GB Captain and current UK Lions squad member

 ‘The level of skill within our industry is immense, we’re proud to support craft butchers every day but especially when we’re about to show the world just what British butchers can do! It’s a huge undertaking to take the team to Paris though, so I think I speak for the whole board when I say that additional industry support for our UK Lions would be welcomed. It’s a fantastic opportunity to support the butchery sector.’

Eleanor O’Brien, MD of National Craft Butchers

For further information or comment please contact Eleanor O’Brien at info@nationalcraftbutchers.co.uk or 01892 541412.