22 June 2010, 14:32 PM
  • The National Cheese Awards attracted buyers and consumers in their droves last month, as part of The Royal Bath and West show

The newly relaunched ceremony received hundreds of entries across 67 categories, including the highest number of Cheddar classes compared to any other cheese competition. The Cornish Cheese Company scooped the prestigious Supreme Champion Cheese title for its Cornish Blue. The cheese maker also won the award back in 2008.

Shropshire-based producer Belton Cheese was one of the ceremony’s particular success stories, winning a haul of ten medals (four gold, four silver and two bronze) across various categories. Its Sage Derby, Rinded Red Leicester, Double Gloucester and Red Leicester cheeses all won gold. The company also won two awards at the The Grocer Own Label Food & Drink Awards in May. “The Royal Bath & West Show is our first show of the year and we are absolutely delighted with the vast medal tally. It’s also a great honour to be recognised for our cheese at The Grocer Own Label Food and Drink awards. To come away with two prizes is a privilege,” said Justin Beckett, managing director.

New for this year was the Cheese Sculpture Class, where 50 Cheddar sculptures were judged and displayed on the show’s opening day. One piece, commissioned by Pilgrim’s Choice and sculpted by local artist Tanys Pullin, weighed in at over 500 kilos and was carved out of a 600 kilo block of West Country Farmhouse Cheddar. Moulded in the shape of the British Coronation Crown, the sculpture was designed to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, which took place on 2nd June 1953.

Ms Pullin spent over 100 hours creating the masterpiece, working in specially controlled conditions to protect the structure of the cheese. “Tanys has worked incredibly hard to produce this sensational sculpture which we believe will now be recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records. The sculpture class has certainly proven to be an incredible attraction,” added Hannah Fordred at Pilgrim’s Choice.

The Royal Bath & West Show was held in The Showground, near Shepton Mallet on 2nd to 5th of June.