Clynderwen Young Farmer Edward Hart, of Narberth, is a fork to be reckoned with! That's the verdict of Pembrokeshire Young Farmers this week after he was crowned Celtic Pride Sausage Eating Champion for 2003 in a National Farmhouse Breakfast Week competition!
Edward, of Longford Farm, beat the clock against 10 Pembrokeshire Young Farmers Clubs by munching his way through 10 plump and juicy Celtic Pride sausages in just two minutes – that's one sausage every 12 seconds!
The sizzling beat-the-clock sausage-eating competition took place at Kilgetty RAOB where 11 Pembrokeshire Young Farmers guzzled their way through platefuls of succulent Celtic Pride sausages in support of National Farmhouse Breakfast Week.
Also competing in the event, sponsored by The Welsh Meat Company, were Will Cook, of Brawdy, Stephen Davies, of Tiers Cross, Daniel James, of Llawhaden, Stephen Williams, of Llysyfran, Richard Davies, of Eglwyswrw, Jonathan Palmer, of South Pembrokeshire, Dean Rees, of Martletwy, William Hannah, of Keyston, and Nathaniel Grim, of Fishguard.
Said Welsh Meat Company general manager Jane James: "This was was a sausage-eating extravaganza not to be scoffed at! Sausages are a renowned part of the traditional British farmhouse breakfast and Wales are lucky enough to have their own home-grown Welsh sausage produced by Welsh farmers that directly benefiting Welsh agriculture. By eating Celtic Pride sausages, customers are supporting their own Welsh farming industry. We hope that by sponsoring fun events of this type, we can highlight the importance of this type of collaboration in helping Welsh farmers."
National Farmhouse Breakfast Week is organised by the Home Grown Cereals Authority to highlight the links between the countryside, the manufacturing process and the cereal food on our plates. The event also tries to encourage the consumer to eat a healthy breakfast at the start of each day.
The Welsh Meat Company was recently chosen as one of Wales's youngest award winners at the first-ever True Taste Wales Food & Drink Awards designed to celebrate the very best of Welsh food and drink. The Celtic Pride brand, designed by Welsh farmers to benefit Welsh agriculture, was highly commended by judges in the All Together Better category just one year from the date it was first launched.
As part of its collaboration with the Pembrokeshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, The Welsh Meat Company also plans to promote the theme of co-operation in the red meat sector to Young Farmers in a series of discussion evenings across Wales throughout January and February.
Said Jane James: "Through discussion forums of this type, we hope to reinforce the message that co-operation is the way forward for young livestock farmers and that effective procurement and marketing is important now and in the future."
Two hundred and 50 lamb and leek sausages were provided by the Welsh Meat Company - enough for all 100 quiz participants as well as the competitors themselves.
Edward was presented with a sash and a bottle of champagne, courtesy of Pembrokeshire County Council, by Nicola Raymond, of the Welsh Meat Company.