SALEM - Sean Kelley, of Norwich, head butcher at Salem Prime Cuts, won his episode's competition on "The Butcher."

Competing against three other expert meat cutters from across the nation, Kelley took home the $10,000 first prize on the reality TV show that aired Wednesday night on the History Channel.

"It's unbelievable," Kelley said Thursday. "It's still sinking in."

Kelley hopes the series, which showcases the butcher's craft, continues past its first season.

The contestants competed in three challenges, with one person eliminated after each one.

The first challenge required the four butchers to produce cuts of meat from a side of bison, after first sectioning the carcass using a tomahawk. Kelley finished tied for first with 11 usable cuts of meat.

The second challenge was a race among the three remaining butchers to produce six perfect 6-inch-long sausages, with any sausages a fraction of an inch too long or too short discarded. Kelley edged out a rival who had five sausages to make it to the final round.

That challenge requires the two final contestants to produce the most valuable meat from an exotic creature, in Kelley's case an ostrich.

Although Kelley said he had never dealt with an ostrich before, he has butchered three emus in the past. "It wasn't really my first rodeo with a great big bird," he said.

Kelley went head-to-head against a butcher who owns a San Francisco butcher shop. Kelley prevailed in a close contest.

"He's definitely a worthy opponent," Kelley said.

He said he's had an exciting week, with an article about him in The Bulletin and an appearance on WFSB-TV, and then getting many congratuations after his win was televised.

"It's been crazy," he said. "Everybody was really happy for me."