Praise for Welsh butchers after notable World Butchers’ Challenge debut

A Welsh Government Minister has praised commitment and skills of Craft Butchery Team Wales members following their successful debut at the recent World Butchers’ Challenge in Sacramento, California.

Team member Ben Roberts, 30, from M. E. Evans Butchers, Overton-on-Dee, near Wrexham, finished third in the Champion Butcher Apprentice competition and it was confirmed this week that the team had finished sixth from 13 countries in the ‘Olympics of Meat’.

Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, said: “A huge congratulation to Ben and the team who should be rightly proud of their achievements representing Wales at the World Butchers’ Challenge.

“Their dedication to the craft is clear and the experience of competing on a global stage will be invaluable for them going forward.”

Formed in 2020 and managed by retired butcher and experienced competition judge Steve Vaughan from Penyffordd, near Wrexham, Craft Butchery Team Wales is a division of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW).

CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, said: “For the team to finish sixth in the world and for Ben to finish third in the butcher apprentice competition at the first attempt are fantastic achievements for Team Wales.

“The team members have told me how proud they were to walk out on the world stage with the Welsh flag to represent their country in their chosen craft.”

For Wales to debut at the World Butchers’ Challenge was the realisation of a dream for Mr Watkins, managing director of Cambrian Training Company which delivers apprenticeships to butchers in Wales.

“It took huge effort and many years of persuasion to secure a team of craft butchers to represent Wales at the World Butchers Challenge,” he said. “It all started with the Welsh Young Butcher of the Year contest and we always had an aspiration to get butchers from Wales competing on the world stage.

“When we realised we were not going to achieve our ambition through the WorldSkills UK Competition, we decided to look independently at another route, which led us to the World Butchers’ Challenge.

“Team Wales has now set the foundation for a future legacy and hopefully it will help to attract more people into the industry as a recognised skilled craft. The team has put in a huge amount of time and dedication and I am extremely proud of what we have collectively achieved.”

Team co-ordinator Chris Jones, head of the food and drink business unit at Cambrian Training Company, said he and team were “overwhelmed” by sixth place, having finished ahead of much larger countries.

“It’s a reward for all their hard work and dedication. They are all good butchers, know their craft and have competed before. They now have a good foundation to build on and we know where we lost points, which is easily rectified.”

Speaking about Ben’s bronze medal, he added: “He’s worth his weight in gold. He  not only worked so hard for his own competition, which paid off, but also supported the team by attending every practise to learn all the skills just in case he had to step in at the last minute.”

The Welsh butchers made many new friends in the competition. “We have had some great messages from the other teams, saying that Wales will be one to watch if we keep on competing at this level,” added Chris.

“The competition was like one big family of butchers, with all the teams helping each other where they could.”

The Craft Butchery Team Wales comprises Peter Rushforth from Innovative Food Ingredients, Lytham St Annes, as 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 Allen- Raftery from Meat Masters Butchers, Newtown and Liam Lewis from Hawarden Farm Shop.

Team sponsors are Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Government’s department representing the food and drink industry, Atlantic Service Company from Newport, AIMS (Association of Independent Meat Suppliers), Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, Cambrian Training Company, Innovative Food Ingredients, M. E. Evans Butchers, Dick Knives. Tiny Rebel and Jones Brothers Farm Shop.

Canmol cigyddion Cymru am safon eu hymddangosiad cyntaf yn Her Cigyddion y Byd

Mae un o Weinidogion Llywodraeth Cymru wedi canmol ymroddiad a sgiliau aelodau Tîm Cigyddiaeth Crefft Cymru yn dilyn eu hymddangosiad cyntaf llwyddiannus yn Her Cigyddion y Byd yn Sacramento, Califfornia yn ddiweddar.

Daeth un aelod o’r tîm, Ben Roberts, 30, o M. E. Evans Butchers, Owrtyn ger Wrecsam, yn drydydd ym Mhencampwriaeth y Byd ar gyfer Prentisiaid Cigyddion a chadarnhawyd yr wythnos hon fod y tîm wedi dod yn chweched o blith 13 o wledydd yng ‘Ngemau Olympaidd y Cig’.

Dywedodd Lesley Griffiths, y Gweinidog dros Faterion Gwledig a Gogledd Cymru:  “Llongyfarchiadau enfawr i Ben a’r tîm. Mae ganddyn nhw le i ymfalchïo yn eu camp yn cynrychioli Cymru yn Her Cigyddion y Byd.

“Mae eu hymroddiad i’r grefft yn amlwg a bydd y profiad o gystadlu ar lwyfan byd-eang yn amhrisiadwy iddyn nhw.”

Ffurfiwyd Tîm Cigyddiaeth Crefft Cymru yn 2020 ac mae’n rhan o Gymdeithas Goginio Cymru (CAW). Mae’r rheolwr, Steve Vaughan o Ben-y-ffordd, ger Wrecsam, yn gigydd wedi ymddeol sy’n feirniad profiadol.

Dywedodd Arwyn Watkins OBE, llywydd CAW: “Roedd yn gamp eithriadol i Dîm Cymru orffen yn chweched yn y byd ac i Ben ddod yn drydydd yn yr ornest i brentisiaid cigyddion ar y cynnig cyntaf.

“Mae aelodau’r tîm wedi dweud wrtha i pa mor falch oedden nhw o gerdded ar lwyfan y byd gyda baner Cymru i gynrychioli eu gwlad yn eu crefft.”

Roedd gweld Cymru’n ymddangos yn Her Cigyddion y Byd am y tro cyntaf fel gwireddu breuddwyd i Mr Watkins, rheolwr gyfarwyddwr Cwmni Hyfforddiant Cambrian sy’n darparu prentisiaethau ar gyfer cigyddion yng Nghymru.

“Fe gymerodd ymdrech enfawr a blynyddoedd lawer o berswâd i sicrhau tîm o gigyddion crefft i gynrychioli Cymru yn Her Cigyddion y Byd,” meddai. “Dechreuodd y cyfan â gornest Cigydd Ifanc y Flwyddyn Cymru ac roedden ni bob amser yn dyheu am weld cigyddion o Gymru’n cystadlu ar lwyfan y byd.

“Pan sylweddolon ni nad oedden ni’n mynd i gyflawni ein huchelgais trwy gystadleuaeth WorldSkills UK, fe benderfynon ni edrych ar lwybr arall, a arweiniodd at Her Cigyddion y Byd.

“Yn awr, mae Tîm Cymru wedi gosod y sylfeini ar gyfer y dyfodol a’r gobaith yw y bydd hyn yn helpu i ddenu rhagor o bobl i’r diwydiant wrth i’r grefft gael ei chydnabod. Mae wedi golygu llawer iawn o amser ac ymroddiad i’r tîm ac rwy’n falch iawn o’r hyn rydyn ni wedi’i gyflawni gyda’n gilydd.”

Dywedodd cydlynydd y tîm, Chris Jones, pennaeth uned busnes bwyd a diod Cwmni Hyfforddiant Cambrian, ei fod ef a’r tîm “ar ben eu digon” o ddod yn chweched, yn uwch na gwledydd llawer mwy.

“Mae’n gydnabyddiaeth o’u holl waith caled a’u hymroddiad.  Mae pob un yn gigyddion da, yn deall eu crefft ac wedi cystadlu o’r blaen.  Gosodwyd sylfaen dda i adeiladu arni ac rydyn ni’n gwybod ble wnaethon ni golli pwyntiau, sy’n hawdd ei gywiro.”

Wrth sôn am fedal efydd Ben, meddai:  “Mae’n werth ei bwysau mewn aur.  Yn ogystal â gweithio mor galed ar gyfer ei gystadleuaeth ei hun, a dalodd ar ei ganfed, bu’n cefnogi’r tîm trwy fynychu pob practis i ddysgu’r holl sgiliau rhag ofn y byddai’n rhaid iddo gamu i mewn ar y funud olaf.””

Gwnaeth cigyddion Cymru lawer o ffrindiau newydd yn y gystadleuaeth.  “Rydyn ni wedi cael negeseuon hyfryd gan y timau eraill, yn dweud bod dyfodol addawol i dîm Cymru os byddwn ni’n parhau i gystadlu ar y lefel yma,” ychwanegodd Chris.

“Roedd y gystadleuaeth fel un teulu mawr o gigyddion, gyda’r timau i gyd yn helpu ei gilydd os gallent.””

Aelodau Tîm Cigyddiaeth Crefft Cymru yw Peter Rushforth o Innovative Food Ingredients, Lytham St Annes, y capten; Craig Holly, o Chris Hayman Butchers, Maesycwmer, Hengoed; Tom Jones o Jones Brothers, Wrecsam; Matthew Edwards, darlithydd yng Ngholeg Cambria, Cei Connah; Dan Allen-Raftery o Meat Masters Butchers, y Drenewydd; Liam Lewis o Hawarden Farm Shop.

Noddwyr y tîm yw Bwyd a Diod Cymru, yr adran yn Llywodraeth Cymru sy’n cynrychioli’r diwydiant bwyd a diod, Atlantic Service Company o Gasnewydd, AIMS (Association of Independent Meat Suppliers), Hybu Cig Cymru, Cwmni Hyfforddiant Cambrian, Innovative Food Ingredients, M. E. Evans Butchers, Dick Knives,  Tiny Rebel a Jones Brothers Farm Shop.