2011 SCOTTISH HAGGIS CHAMPIONSHIP - Scottish Craft Butchers

Selkirk
Address for the Best Haggis

Famous for its grace, Selkirk is now to be
just as famous for its Haggis.

The 2011 Haggis Championship was decided in a competition sponsored by Grampian Oat Products held at the Scottish Meat Trade Fair.

Following this year's Scottish Haggis
Championships, which took place in Perth, the title has been
bestowed on Selkirk butcher J & A Waters.
who take over the crown
from
Scott Carson of TH Carson, Dalbeattie who was the runner up this time.

2011 SCOTTISH HAGGIS CHAMPIONSHIP Competition sponsored by Grampian Oat Products
Champion:	J & A Waters, 67 High Street, Selkirk TD7 4BZ
Reserve Champion	TH Carson, Dalbeattie
Third Place	Scott the Butcher, Huntly
North of Scotland Champion	Scott the Butcher, Huntly
East of Scotland Champion	DH Robertson, Arbroath
West of Scotland Champion	Pauls Quality Butchers, Kirkintilloch
South East Scotland Champion	J & A Waters, 67 High Street, Selkirk TD7 4BZ
South West Scotland Champion	TH Carson, Dalbeattie

The contest that is held every second year
attracted 95 entries which were firstly judged by region, and then the
regional champions faced another tasting panel of experts to establish the
overall winner. The conclusion
was the selection of the Selkirk haggis made by Darren Hoggan of J & A
Waters.

Grampian Oat Products' Louise Harley
(above) presented the prize trophy to Darren Hoggan in the High Street
butchers in Selkirk on Tuesday 10th May.

The Scottish Haggis Championships were held
in the Dewars Centre Perth as part of the Scottish Meat Trade Fair on Sunday
8th May. Darren took over the
business just four years ago and just recently changed the recipe to suit
his tastes. Sales have since
improved and now with this top award he is hoping to further increase his
sales.

Alan Meikle, Managing Director of sponsor,
Grampian Oat Products said: “Good
quality oatmeal is one of the keys to great haggis, and as Scotland's
leading oatmeal producer, Grampian Oat Products are delighted to continue to
sponsor the Scottish Haggis Championship.”

It takes guts to change a recipe that has generated successful sales over the
years so it's possibly just as well that Darren Hoggan had a career in rugby
football behind him to shoulder the responsibility. The former captain of
Selkirk Rugby Club took over the business of Walter Miller in October 2007 but
he eventually took the brave decision to change the recipe.

“I had no problem with my old boss but I had didn't really like his
haggis. We sold a lot of haggis and was wary of changing it but after Christmas
I decided it's my shop and I want to change it to the way I like it. I thought if I do lose custom then I could always go back”

Alan who works behind the scenes making the meat products worked with Darren
to devise a new recipe. Small batches were tried initially and regular
customers were given samples to feedback their thoughts. The community
effort certainly paid dividends as Darren pointed out:-

“We have three first class butchers in Selkirk but it is nice to know
that I have the number one haggis in Scotland.”

Darren left Selkirk High School to work in the shop when he was just
15. Fifteen years later when he was in the throws of taking over the
business from Walter Miller, Darren broke his leg in his final match for the rugby club and this proved to be a severe handicap . Now however at the age of 33
finds himself the top haggis maker.

Rugby has a hand in everything in the Borders and Darren has resisted
changing the trading name of the business – J & A Waters – after all
Jack Waters was a former Selkirk captain who was played for the British Lions on the 1938 tour to South Africa.