http://www.australianbutchersguild.com.au/

Tri-Nations competitor: Michael James: Australian Tri-Nations team captain, Michael James, grew up in a butcher’s shop. In 2014, the fifth generation butcher will proudly celebrate the 100th year his family has owned their Brisbane meat retail outlet. Michael worked in his uncle’s shop, Salm’s Butcher and Smallgoods, after school and on holidays, so it was no surprise he started his butchery apprenticeship in 1994. He bought his own shop, Carina North Quality Meats, in 2006. He expanded the business to three stores but consolidated it back to the original shop in 2013 so he could spend more time with his young family. Today, Michael and his team of six butchers (four of whom completed their apprenticeship at Carina North Quality Meats) and two apprentices are renowned for their service and innovative products. Michael is no stranger to competition butchering – as well as winning medals for his sausages, he has represented Australia in the Tri-Nations competition for three years, and was captain in 2013. He is passionate about the future of the retail meat industry, and contributes as a member of the AMIC Queensland Council. Michael also regularly judges the meat competition at the Queensland RNA.