Wheatbelt Butchers Sausage Competition back on at Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days

A host of country butchers are preparing to do battle for bragging rights over who makes the best sausage in the Wheatbelt.

They are, of course, taking part in the second annual Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days Wheatbelt Butchers Sausage Competition.

Among the contenders is Dowerin Gourmet Butcher Shop owner Brent Walsh, who spearheaded the first competition to showcase the much-loved meat merchants in regional WA.

“My idea was to promote all the Wheatbelt butchers and let everyone at the bottom of the hill know that there are good people over the top of the hill,” Mr Walsh said.

“It’s basically about exposing all the butchers throughout small country towns to the public in the metro area, because a lot of people just don’t know what we’ve got out here.”

The first competition, held in 2019, was by all accounts a hit — not least of all with the locals lucky enough to snag a seat on the judging panel.

It attracted the likes of Dowerin Gourmet Butcher Shop, Quin’s Gourmet Butchers (Northam), Wyalkatchem Gourmet Meats and Bruce Rock Meats, which claimed the coveted trophy.

Mr Walsh said excitement was mounting again after last year’s cancellation of Field Days because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“The buzz is starting. Once people see all the vans pull up and tents go up, they’ll get even more excited,” he said.

“There’s only the one category for the competition, but we’ll let it grow each year and take it from there.

“We are also doing demonstrations both days on how to link sausages.”

Never one to brag, Mr Walsh — who won gold for his gourmet burger recipe at the 2000 Perth Royal Show — was humble when asked if he had any secret weapons up his sleeve.

“No, I’m just going to do a good sausage with some beef in it,” he said.

Originally from Perth, the now-56-year-old was a single man with no ties to Dowerin when he took over the vacant butcher shop eight years ago.

He has never looked back.

“I met my partner Dianne here, and my daughter Courtney is now living here with the two granddaughters,” Mr Walsh said.

His business has gone from strength to strength and he now employs an apprentice, Cherylee Montgomery, and two “after school clean-up boys”.

With the busiest time of year fast approaching, he will need all the help he can get. “Yes, business definitely grows during Field Days week, it almost doubles in turnover,” he said.

“It’s not just the locals, it’s all the stall holders coming up and everyone putting the event together.

“My idea when I set the shop up was to bring the metro area to the country, so I’ve got different gourmet cheeses, I make my own salads, that kind of thing.

“The shop is getting better and better and we do a lot of different stuff here. It’s a very different looking butcher shop.”

A sausage-making demonstration will be held in the Field Days’ AKA Event Hire Good Food and Getaways Pavilion at 11am on Wednesday, with winners of the Wheatbelt Butchers Sausage Competition announced at 11am on Thursday.

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