CALLING ALL meat lovers, sporting fanatics and foodies – tickets are now on sale for the World Butchers’ Challenge, an event which turns butchery into a competitive spectator sport.

Taking place on September 4 and 5 at the Golden 1 Centre in Sacramento, California the ‘Olympics of Meat’ will host the finest butchers from 16 nations in a ‘knife off’ to crown the worlds’ best.

Each team – which consists of six butchers – will have just three hours and fifteen minutes to breakdown a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens into butcher shop display.

The World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher Competition takes place on September 4, prior to the main event. These two categories, modelled on the same concept as the World Butchers’ Challenge, are individual competitions which recognise and reward upcoming talent in the industry.

CEO of Visit Sacramento, Mike Testa, said: “This competition is generating a ton of interest. You take the best butchers from around the world, add in some beautiful, locally sourced produce, ask them to deliver miracles against the clock and you will see fireworks. It’s going to be one of those ‘I was there’ moments.”

For more information on the competition, visit worldbutcherschallenge.com