Two weeks to World Scotch Pie Championship

- Published: 29 October, 2010

With judging set for the the Scotch Pie Championship in Dunfermline on 16 November, 20 butchers have entered the fray.

A rush is expected in the final week, with 86 companies having entered last year, including 15 new faces.

"It's really encouraging," said Fife-based Alan Stuart, the organiser of the tournament. "We've had entries from England in the past, and we always encourage butchers and bakers from areas apart from Scotland to enter.

"The winner can expect a money-spinning year. Records show that the successful company can increase their annual turnover by over 30%."

Alongside Scotch Pies, the competition also has hotly-contested sections for sausage rolls, bridies and speciality products.

The 12-year-old event is designed to raise standards in the industry and the reigning champion and a two-time winner have also confirmed they are bidding for the title this time around.

The champion is Murdoch Brothers Butchers of Forres, Moray, and the two-time winner is Boghall Butchers of Bathgate, West Lothian.

However, a 39-year-old Cumbria-based butcher is aiming to become the first non-Scot to win the coveted World Scotch Pie Championship.

Mark Duckworth, a former Great Britain sausage champion, sells Scotch Pies in his busy shop and he sources his lamb locally.

He said: "I’ve got my own recipe, but it is well-seasoned. I thought about entering the competition last year but missed the cut-off date.

“This year I submitted my entry early and I’m giving it a go."

Duckworth runs Dale’s Traditional Butchers in Market Street, Kirkby Lonsdale, near Lancaster with his wife Victoria and three local staff – Sean Gibson, Ryan Kendal and Henry Aldous.

He’s owned the shop for 11 years after buying it from two brothers who decided to retire.

Previously, Duckworth worked as a butcher in the area and he said: "I joined the Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Association (SFMTA) and find them very helpful. I even won one of their competitions this year with a pork and caramel sausage. The caramel is a sticky, toffee sauce."

He added: "I came up to an event run by the SFMTA in Glasgow and really enjoyed it. That’s when I heard about the Scotch Pie event and decided to enter.

"I've no idea how my pies will go down but the competition enjoys good publicity and the winner seems to do really well, so I’m in the frame."

>> Title fight for World Scotch Pie Champion

>> Scots hope for success with pies

>> Record number enter World Scotch Pie Championship