Page 110 - Hereford Magazine 2021

at WHC

Ascot Park Hotel’s Emberz Restaurant executive chef Simon Henry, right, gives Team UK a run down on brisket boning before they start
the module.

ould you bone a whole beef brisket, name the
parts of a carcass, and put pen to paper about the
health benefits of grass-fed beef and how Hereford
breeders can counteract the threat of alternative
Cdiets, all in 40 minutes?
That’s exactly what competing teams in the Young Breeder
Competition, part of the World Hereford Conference, were
asked to do in the Hereford Prime module of the competition.
The Young Breeder modules were held at Waiau Station in
Lilburn Valley, Southland, and despite its challenges, all teams
took it in their stride. Only one or two of the competitors had
used a knife for carcass work before, and while some teams
thought they knew their way around a carcass diagram, it
proved more difficult than anticipated.
The nine teams of four split into pairs to tackle the module.
It was impressive to see all the teams keep calm under
pressure, despite an overall lack of experience on the knives.
The practical challenge was overseen by Ascot Park Hotel’s Members of the Australia Red team contemplate the theory
Emberz Restaurant executive chef Simon Henry, who along aspect of the Hereford Prime module.
with his extensive kitchen experience is also a butcher by
trade, making him well qualified for the task. Simon said the attitude of the competitors stood out.
While the teams were expected to undertake the brisket “One of the highlights for me was how they all grasped
challenge unassisted, safety was at the forefront of Simon’s mind the experience and approached it and gave it 100% – that
as he kept a close eye on them (not just for judging purposes). impressed me,” he said.
Simon said everyone did well on the knives. “They were scored on health and safety, hygiene and food
“They all got in there and got it done and used their body safety, the steps they took in the breakdown, separating the fat
weight to pull back the bone from the brisket. They did a from the meat, and basic knowledge.”
fantastic job at addressing the task and I would suggest be on The Hereford Prime module was worth 100 points for each
a par with many butchers in terms of quality. I helped with team, with the brisket boning worth 50 points. The essay had
hand placement a couple of times, but all in all they did well.” the potential to earn 40 points, while correctly naming the

108 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2021