There are record entries for this year's Golden Lamb Awards with double the number last year.
Meat & Wool New Zealand says 2000 lambs from over 50 farms are being processed to determine which farmer produces the best lamb.
Twenty retailers are also taking part in the competition.
Meat & Wool chief executive Scott Champion says the competition highlights the link between what happens on the farm through to what the consumer buys.
Finalists in five classes will be announced this week. Tasting will be held at the Wanaka A & P show in a fortnight.
