Mint Lamb Competition
Country’s best lamb from paddock to plate
From 85 entries in the 2010 Mint Lamb Competition, Featherston farmers M & R McConachy have taken the top title with their Texel lamb named the country’s best, from paddock to plate.
Farmers from throughout New Zealand were invited to showcase their quality lamb and compete in the competition that celebrates the quality and variety of lamb available in New Zealand with a focus on increasing consumption of one of the country’s largest export earners.
Lambs were judged on the hook at an Alliance plant for Best Overall Yield with the best from each class (dual purpose, dual purpose/cross terminal, composite/crossbred cross terminal and terminal) from the North Island and the South Island plus the next ten highest yielding lambs taste tested at last Wednesday’s Canterbury A&P Show in Christchurch.
The cuts of meat were cooked by leading Christchurch chef Gary Miller and taste tested in front of Show crowds. Judges included Kelly Young (NZ MasterChef & Kel’s Kitchen), Ross Thomson (Alliance Group), Colin McKay (Novartis) and David Hazlett (Hazlett Rural Ltd).
The overall winner received a trophy, Show ribbon, cash prize of $1000 plus a $700 Zolvix product voucher. Second ($500 cash, $350 Zolvix voucher) went to Sarah Rodie from Amberley and third ($300 cash, $150 Novartis voucher) went to Andrew and Nicky Gardner from Waiau.
Drafters also had the chance to win with the Drafter of the winning lamb receiving a case of wine. The wine went to Andy Darling.
“We are fortunate to have the support of sponsors Alliance, Hazlett Rural Ltd and Novartis. The prizes are an excellent incentive but the recognition farmers receive is the real motivator for entering. Being recognised as producing the best quality lamb in the country is the ideal performance indicator” commented Mint Lamb Competition Convenor Tom Burrows.
There was no entry fee for the competition; proceeds from the gift lambs will be credited to the Canterbury A&P Association to support the development of the Canterbury A&P Show.
Contact:
Tom Burrows
Phone: 027 227 6112
Email: eudunda.ram@xtra.co.nz
Rae Finlay
Phone: 03 343 3033
Email: rae@theshow.co.nz
Download 2010 Mint Lamb Competition Results
Mint Lamb Competition 2009 -
1st Grant Hyde, Rangiora (Texel/Perendale)
2nd MR & RM McConachy, Featherston (Texel)
3rd Allan G & IM Paton, Christchurch (Texel X)
4th George Bedford, Rakaia (Composite)
5th Andy & Nicky Gardner, Nth Canty (Texel/Comp)
6th Euan & Karen McLachlan, Taupo (Southdown)
7th MR & RM McConachy, Featherston (Texel)
8th Kerry Pauling, Sheffield (Tefrom)
9th William Feetham, Hastings (Romney X)
10th Forbes Cameron, Ashhurst (Dual Purpose)
11th Sean Fahey, Yaldhurst (Perendale)
12th Grant Beckett, Cheviot (Texel/Suffolk)
13th Ian Stevenson, Cheviot (Dorset DownX)
Mint Lamb Competition 2008 -
1st Ken & Judy Tomlinson, Amberley (Composite)
2nd MR&RM McConachy, Featherston (Texel)
2nd MR&RM McConachy, Featherston (Texel)
Mint Lamb Competition 2007 -
1st David & Rosie Clark, Rangiora (Romney Dorset Down Cross)
2nd Ian McCall, Otautau (Composite)
3rd M&R McConachy, Featherston (Texel)
The Canterbury A&P Association acknowledges the suuport of the New Zealand Sheepbreeders Association whos members continue to supply superior genetics to commerical farmers.
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