Belton Wensleydale Cheese crowned Supreme Champion

Shropshire cheesemaker, Belton Cheese has won the coveted Supreme Champion at this years Royal Bath and West Show. In a class normally dominated by British Cheddars, the family run business was crowned Supreme Champion for their exceptional Wensleydale cheese. President of the Royal Bath and West Society, the Countess of Wessex, presented Belton with their trophy.

The Royal Bath and West National Cheese Awards play host to the finest cheeses in the country and this year was no exception with more than 850 entries. Belton Cheese celebrated a tremendous haul of 4 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze medals. This impressive medal tally meant that Belton Cheese was also awarded the prestigious Cheesemakers Trophy for Excellence. Further to this, they retained the Aplin and Barrett Perpetual Challenge Trophy for yet another year.

Commenting on the win, Justin Beckett, Managing Director said, We are absolutely delighted to have won 14 medals and to top it off by becoming the Supreme Champion is incredible. These awards and trophies are the culmination of dedication and hard work of everyone at Belton Cheese. With such stiff competition from fine cheesemakers, we are so proud that our Wensleydale has been deemed the best.

• Based in the glorious Shropshire countryside, Belton Cheese has been producing award winning cheese handmade on the farm since the 1800s

• Belton Cheese Limited was founded in 1973 when the first phase of the modern dairy was built and now produces many varieties of handmade English territorial cheeses using traditional recipes and production methods

• Belton Cheese won the following prizes at the Royal Bath & West Show held on June 2^nd, 2011:

  • Supreme Champion Wensleydale

  • Villis Family Trophy – Wensleydale

  • The Cheesemakers Trophy for Excellence in Cheesemaking

  • Aplin & Barrett Perpetual Challenge Trophy

  • Gold Wensleydale

  • Gold Caerphilly

  • Gold Cheshire

  • Gold Double Gloucester Onion & Chives

  • Silver Double Gloucester

  • Silver Wensleydale

  • Silver Red Leicester

  • Silver Derby

  • Silver Red Leicester

  • Silver Organic Double Gloucester

  • Silver Red Leicester

  • Bronze Red Leicester

  • Bronze Organic Cheddar

  • Bronze Organic Red Leicester

• The Royal Bath and West Show is an annual event attracting approximately 125K visitors