Wisconsin cheesemakers built on tradition at the 2008 World Championship Cheese Contest today by once again winning the top number of awards of any state or nation in the competition.

Wisconsin claimed 72 awards, 27 of them Best of Class. Of remaining U.S. cheesemakers, New York won five Best of Class with California and Idaho each taking three. On an international level, Wisconsin's Best of Class award total exceeded the top winner of the European countries, the Netherlands, with eight. The Wisconsin dominance exceeded the state's premier total of awards in the last World contest (2006), when Wisconsin won 46.

A Swiss cheesemaker Michael Spycher, of Kaserei Fritzenhaus took Best of Show honors for his Le Gruyere Switzerland. The contest attracted 1,941 entries from 19 countries

Wisconsin gold medal winners are:

• Class 1, Mild Cheddar: Meister Cheese Company, Muscoda
• Class 2, Medium Cheddar: Land O'Lakes, Kiel
• Class 4, Cheddar Aged 1-2 Years: Maple Leaf Cheese Cooperative, Monroe
• Class 5, Cheddar aged 2 Years+: Land O'Lakes, Kiel
• Class 6, Bandaged Cheddar, Mild-Medium: Rosewood Dairy, Algoma
• Class 11, Marbled Curd Cheese: Colby Jack, Alto Dairy Cooperative, Black Creek
• Class 16, Mild Provolone: Smoked Provolone, Land O'Lakes, Denmark, Wis.
• Class 17: Aged Provolone: Burnett Dairy Cooperative, Grantsburg
• Class 31, Blue Veined: European German Style Blue, Seymour Dairy Products, Seymour
• Class 32, Brick, Muenster: Muenster, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead
• Class 42, Smear Ripened Hard Cheeses: Roth's Private Reserve, Roth Kase USA, Monroe
• Class 44, Pepper Flavored Cheeses: Jalapeno Havarti, Arla Foods, Kaukauna
• Class 47, Flavored Hard Cheeses: Rosemary-Olive Oil Rubbed Asiago, Sartori Foods, Antigo
• Class 55, Cold Pack Cheese: Swiss/Almond Cheese Spread, Bel Brands USA, Kaukauna
• Class 57, Flavored Spreadable Cheeses: Sugar Brook CheddaDew, Family Fresh Pack, Belleville
• Class 58, Pasteurized Process Cheeses: Processed American Cheese, AMPI, Portage
• Class 60, Soft Goat's Milk Cheeses: Plain Goat Cheese, Montchevre Betin, Belmont
• Class 63, Semi-soft Goat's Milk Cheeses: Goat Milk Jack, Cedar Grove Cheese, Plain
• Class 64, Flavored Semi-soft Goat's Milk Cheeses: Cocoa Cardona, Carr Valley Cheese, LaValle
• Class 66, Soft Sheep's & Mixed Milk Cheeses: Rondele Gourmet Spreadable Cheese with Goat Cheese, Lactalis, Merrill
• Class 67, Flavored Soft Sheep's & Mixed Milk Cheeses: Driftless with Fresh Basil, Hidden Springs Creamery, Westby
• Class 68, Surface Ripened Sheep's & Mixed Milk Cheeses: Cowbilly, K&K Cheese, Cashton
• Class 74, Unsalted Butter: Graf Creamery, Zachow
• Class 76, Snack Cheeses: Colby Jack & Pepper Jack Cheese Sticks, Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth
• Class 77, Open Class Shredded Cheese: Foremost Farms, Appleton
• Class 78, Open Class Flavored Shredded Cheese: Finely Shredded Taco Cheese Blend, Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth
• Class 79, Open Class Grated Cheese: Dry Grated Asiago, DairiConcepts, Greenwood

The World Championship Cheese Contest is the largest international cheese and butter competition in the world. It is held every two years in Madison, Wis., and is sponsored by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. For complete results and contest photos, visit www.wischeesemakersassn.org.