Spain carves for victory in 'butchers' World Cup' debut

By Charlie Devereux and Pablo Menendez

MADRID (Reuters) - A team of butchers representing Spain are competing for the first time in what has been dubbed the World Cup of butchery, a tournament pitting the world's greatest carnivorous nations against each other in the art of cutting and presenting meat.

For three and a half hours next Monday, the 16 teams must debone, cut, and display meat in the most creative way to be crowned champions of the World Butchers' Challenge at the Paris Expo, which hosted volleyball and table tennis during the 2024 Olympics.

Teams can use their own seasonings, spices, marinades and garnish to transform a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens into a themed display and will be judged on technique, workmanship, innovation and presentation.

Spanish team manager Bruno Casal said that as newcomers his team would have to control their nerves to compete against this year's favourites France, Italy and Germany.

"There are good butchers in Spain that aren't participating this year but we weren’t looking for meat stars but rather a good group," Casal said as the team practiced in a meat-processing plant in Madrid earlier this month.

The competition began as a contest between New Zealand and Australia in 2011 and took off as a multi-team tournament in 2018.

Germany took the top spot in the last championship in 2022.

Team member Ana Paris, who specialises in innovative displays, said that as novices in the tournament Spain could keep other teams guessing.

"We have a secret weapon that’s going to surprise everyone!" she said.

(Reporting by Charlie Devereux, Pablo Menendez and Ana Beltran)