Farmers vie for ‘glammies’ award
The finalists have been named for the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Golden Lamb Awards - more popularly known as the Glammies.
Across the nation 20 finalists have made the cut, ahead of 166 other entries, for a place in the grand final, to be held at the Wanaka A & P Show on March 10, in the hunt for the most tender and tasty lamb. Grand final head judge and president of the New Zealand Chefs Association Graham Hawkes said Kiwis should be proud of the farmers who produced lamb of the highest quality.
‘‘I believe New Zealand has the best lamb in the world and I think we should be celebrating the work and efforts of our world-class producers. As a chef, I do my best to create innovative and interesting dishes and, as a consumer, I enjoy what’s on my plate but I’d like to encourage New Zealanders to acknowledge the farmers who make that a reality.’’
Each of the finalist’s lamb went through rigorous scientific testing to assess the tenderness, yield, colour and succulence of the lamb. From there they will be judged in two rounds at the grand final by six of New Zealand’s leading chefs. To mark 10 years of competition, a special award to announce the producer of the decade will take place during the final prizegiving.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand Golden Lamb Awards Finalists:
CLASS 1 - BEST OF BREED: TRADITIONAL Robert Gardyne, Oturehua (perendale), processed at Alliance Lorneville Paul, Rachel, Mark, Louise Heslip, Dipton (perendale/romney), processed at Alliance Lorneville Hamish Mackay, Gore (romney), processed at Alliance Lorneville Don Morrison, Gore (romney), processed at Alliance Lorneville.
CLASS 2 - BEST OF BREED: CROSSBREED Charles Crutchley, Ranfurly (texel/perendale/ romney), processed at Oamaru Meats Jane Leogreen, Dannevirke (texel/perendale/romney), processed at Alliance Dannevirke Hayden Peter, Wyndham (Greeline), processed at Alliance Lorneville Roger & Alison Thomas, Tuatapere (perendale/ texel), processed at Silver Fern Farms Waitane.
CLASS 3 - BEST OF BREED: TERMINAL CROSS Gary Fordyce, Gore (Composite/texel X), processed at Silver Fern Farms Waitane Don Morrison, Gore (growbulk/charrollais), processed at Alliance Lorneville Allan Patterson, Otautau (cooptexel/ texel), processed at Alliance Lorneville Matt Wyeth, Masterton (highlander/primera), processed at Silver Fern Farms Takapau.
CLASS 4 - BEST OF BREED: OPEN Doug Brown, Oamaru (poll dorset/texel), processed at Alliance Smithfield Forbes Cameron, Ashhurst (growbulk), processed at Alliance Dannevirke Robert Gardyne, Oturehua (perendale/suffolk/texel), processed at Alliance Lorneville Peter Sim, Garston (textra), processed at Silver Fern Farms Waitane.
CLASS 5 - RETAIL Countdown North Island (south suffolk/ romney from Ruakiwi, Kaikohe) Countdown North Island (southdown/texel/romney from DI Cathcart, Huntley) Lifestyle Meats (texel perendale from Ohakune) Pure South, Alliance Meats (romney/texel from JW, JC & JR Clark, Milton).