More Than a Competition: The Journey to Brisbane 2028 Begins

The announcement of Brisbane as the host city for the 2028 World Butchers' Challenge marks more than a milestone in the event calendar. It marks the beginning of a new chapter for the global butchery community.

From 9 to 12 March 2028, the world's premier butchery competition will return to Australian soil, bringing together almost 20 nations, around 200 elite competitors and thousands of industry professionals for what promises to be the largest celebration of butchery Australia has ever hosted.

For the Australian Butcher Team Captain Luke Leyson and Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan, the significance extends well beyond the competition floor. We recap their chat with Knives Down host, Alana Empson.

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For Luke, who has represented Australia on the world stage in both Sacramento and Paris, the return to home soil brings a different kind of energy. Brisbane offers the chance to showcase not only the competition itself, but a broader picture of Australia to the international butchery community.

There is also the reality of what it means to compete at home. After seeing the intensity of Paris, and the strength of support surrounding the European teams, Luke is hoping Australian butchers and supporters will bring their own noise to Brisbane.

Australian Butcher Team Captain, Luke Leyson

For many of his family and friends, 2028 may be the first chance to see the scale of the World Butchers' Challenge in person. As Luke noted, people can hear about the event for years, but it is difficult to fully understand what it represents until they are standing in the room.

That visibility matters.

Luke spoke about how much the competition has changed since he first became involved. In the early years, even within the industry, not everyone knew there was an Australian Butcher Team competing internationally. Social media, stronger global networks and the growth of each national team have helped shift that, making the WBC far more visible to butchers, apprentices and the wider trade.

It is a change that has particular meaning for younger butchers. Luke said he was not even aware apprentice competitions existed when he first entered the trade. Now, with strong interest already building for Australia's young butcher and apprentice pathways, the next generation has something more tangible to aim for.

But for Luke, the value of competition is not only found in winning.

He spoke about the people, networks and experiences that come with the process, from training sessions to product development and the friendships formed with competitors from around the world. The WBC may be fiercely competitive, but it is also built on shared respect between tradespeople who understand the craft and the commitment behind it.

AMIC CEO, Tim Ryan

Tim sees that same opportunity on a much broader scale.

For AMIC, hosting the World Butchers' Challenge in Brisbane is a chance to bring the Australian industry together around a major global event, while also using the platform to speak to consumers, school students and future workers about the role butchers continue to play.

He described the ambition clearly: to create the biggest butcher event in Australian history, with the competition as the flagship moment within a wider week of activity.

That broader programme is expected to include industry tours, member engagement, education opportunities and a strong focus on career pathways. Tim said attracting young people into the industry remains one of the biggest priorities, particularly at a time when skilled trades are competing for attention in a fast-changing workforce.

The point is not simply to tell young people that butchery is a viable career. It is to let them see it at its best.

On the WBC stage, butchery becomes visible in a way few people experience day to day. It shows the precision, pressure, creativity and pride behind the trade, and gives young people a different picture of what the industry can offer.

Tim also spoke about the opportunity to reconnect consumers with their local butcher. With thousands of people expected to move through the event, Brisbane 2028 provides a rare chance to remind the public of the knowledge, service and quality that independent butchers bring to their communities.

For international visitors, the event will also showcase Australia's place in the global meat industry. Tim pointed to Queensland's role as a major part of the country's meat sector, particularly in beef, while also recognising Australia's broader strengths across livestock, processing and retail.

For Luke, the word that best describes the Australian industry is pride. Pride in the product. Pride in the standards. Pride in putting something in the cabinet that you would happily take home to your own family.

That sense of pride runs through the Australian Butcher Team named for 2028, with Luke joined by Troy Wheeler, Tom Bouchier, Craig Munro, Nick Dagg and Justin Wade. The team brings a mix of competition experience and versatility, with Luke pointing to their ability to work across breaking, boning, slicing, portioning, value adding and display as one of their greatest strengths.

It is also a team that reflects the pathway Luke is so passionate about. Justin, who previously competed as a young butcher, has now stepped into the senior team, showing what is possible when emerging talent is given the opportunity to grow.

As the countdown begins, both Luke and Tim are looking forward to the same thing in different ways: seeing people come together.

For Luke, it is the chance to reconnect with international friends, show the work the Australian team has been building, and inspire others through the display they put on the floor.

For Tim, it is the possibility of seeing a large Australian butcher contingent in one room, connecting with international teams and taking part in a week that becomes much bigger than the competition itself.

By the end of the conversation, Alana summed it all up: It is not just the WBC. It is so much more than that.

With the countdown now officially underway, attention turns from the announcement itself to the journey ahead, one that will bring the global butchery community together in Brisbane in March 2028.

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