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Cheese and Butter Competition


2024 CHEESE AND BUTTER COMPETITION

Date: Thursday October 19, 2023

Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: RAWF, Exhibition Place

Important Dates and Reminders

Entry Closing Date:Monday September 30, 2024. No late entries will be accepted.
Entry Fee:$45.00 per entry
Exhibit Arrival:Between Saturday October 14 and Tuesday October 17, 2023. Weekday office hours are 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and weekend office hours are 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Entry Delivery Address:

Agriculture Show Office, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
Door #33, Manitoba Drive, Exhibiton Place
Toronto, ON, M6K 3C3

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

  1. Entries must be made via Assist Expo, RAWF’s online entry system. After the entry closing date, the RAWF will email the exhibitor a confirmation letter.
  2. All exhibits, whether shipped (prepaid) or delivered in person must arrive at the RAWF between the entry delivery dates listed above. Please ensure you provide your courier with the office hours above when scheduling your shipment. If you are hand delivering your entries, call (416) 263-3418 upon arrival.
  3. The competition is open to all Canadian cheese and butter producers. All entries must be manufactured in a plant registered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and/or licensed by the Province in which the plant is located. In all cases the product to be entered must be made in the plant named by the company on the entry.
  4. All exhibitors must include commercial labels for each entry, including ingredients’ label. Entries will NOT be judged without commercial labels which must include the ingredients.
  5. Cheese and butter entries must be made with 100% Canadian fluid milk and/or cream from Canadian cow, sheep, goat or water buffalo. NO modified milk ingredients, NO artificial flavours or colours permitted.
  6. If class does not recieve a minimum of 3 entries, cheese or butter will be evaluated on its own merits, keeping in mind minimum scores must be met for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places.
  7. Cheese and butter producers may enter up to 3 different products per class.
  8. Each cheese or butter entry must receive a minimum score to qualify for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place. It is possible that prizes are not awarded within a class if the minimum score is not met. In the case of a tie score the judges will re-evaluate to determine the winner.
  9. In all cases, the judges’ decision is final. The judge(s) has/have the right to reclassify an entry if they feel that it has been placed in the wrong class.
  10. Refer to Section 800 Butter, Section 801 Cheddar Cheese, Section 802 Variety Cheese Cow Milk and Section 803 Goat, Sheep, Water Buffalo and Mixed Milk Variety Cheese for specific minimum amounts required.
  11. Ribbons will be awarded to 3rd place

JUDGING INFORMATION:

  1. Each entry will be assessed by two judges: one Technical and one Aesthetic. Technical Judges will deduct points for flaws and defects from a perfect score of 50 points. Aesthetic Judges will award points for outstanding characteristics and qualities to a maximum of 50 points. These two independent scores will be added to obtain a final score for each entry.
  2. Evaluation will be based on the following:
    1. Aroma
    2. Flavours
    3. Texture and Body
    4. Appearance and Rind Development (if rind is appropriate to the cheese)
  3. Following the judging of Butter, Cheddar Cheese, Variety Cheese – Cow Milk and Goat, Sheep, Water Buffalo and Mixed Milk Variety Cheese, a marked copy of the scorecard will be forwarded to each exhibitor.

2023 JUDGES

JUDGING PANEL FACILITATOR: TBA

AESTHETIC JUDGES: TBA

TECHNICAL JUDGES: TBA


GET READY TO GROW!

Metro is sponsoring The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair food competitions for a fifth straight year! Along with their pledge to locally sourced food, Metro is committed to finding and supporting local suppliers and manufacturers to feed Ontarians in new and exciting ways. Metro is looking for entrepreneurs who are ready or on the cusp of being ready for retail. Local food or beverage companies will have the opportunity to be assessed by Metro's Locally Sourced Program and invited to a Metro Buyer's meeting, with the potential to receive business coaching and finalize their product for distribution in Metro stores in Ontario!

We look forward to crowning this year's Royal Champions!

PRIZE MONEY FOR COW'S MILK SECTIONS & CLASSES

SPONSORED BY DFO

BUTTER COMPETITION (section 800):

$500 to the 1st Place Winner in each of the following Cow's Milk ONLY Classes (classes 1-7 inclusive).

$5,000 to the Grand Champion Winner (if a Cow's Milk entry AND from an Ontario based Processor) OR $2,500 to the Grand Champion Winner (if a Cow's Milk entry AND from a Canadian Processor from a Province other than Ontario).

CHEDDAR CHEESE COMPETITION (section 801):

$500 to the 1st Place Winner in each of the following Cow's Milk ONLY Classes (classes 1-4 inclusive).

$5,000 to the Champion Ontario Cheddar Cow Milk Winner.

$5,000 to the Grand Champion Cheddar (if a Cow's Milk entry AND from an Ontario based Processor) OR $2,500 to the Grand Champion Winner (if a Cow's Milk entry AND from a Canadian Processor from a Province other than Ontario).

VARIETY CHEESE COMPETITION (section 802):

$500 to the 1st Place Winner in each of the following Cow's Milk ONLY Classes (classes 1-16 inclusive).

$5,000 to the Grand Champion Winner (if a Cow's Milk entry AND from an Ontario based Processor) OR $2,500 to the Grand Champion Winner (if a Cow's Milk entry AND from a Canadian Processor from a Province other than Ontario).

PRIZE MONEY FOR ALL OTHER CLASSES: 1st place will recieve $100 in prize money.

Butter

Section 800

Butter Rules and Regulations

  1. A minimum of four (4) consumer-sized packages of butter or ghee are required for each entry.
  2. No restrictions of size for classes. Must be retail packaging.
  3. All butter classes are based on the Canadian Standards of Identity – CFIA

Prize: $500 - Unless otherwise noted

Classes:

1.

Unsalted

minimum 80% milk fat

4 consumer packages

2.

Salted

minimum 80% milk fat

4 consumer packages

3.

Cultured Salted or Unsalted

minimum 80% milk fat

4 consumer packages

4.

Grass Fed or Organic - Unsalted

unsalted - minimum 80% milk fat. If label shows "Grass Fed or Organic", butter must be entered into Class 4 or 5 only

4 consumer packages

5.

Grass Fed or Organic - Salted

salted - minimum 80% milk fat. If label shows "Grass Fed or Organic", butter must be entered into Class 4 or 5 only

4 consumer packages

6.

Butter (Seasoning or Flavour)

minimum 80% milk fat (as per CFIA rules)

4 consumer packages

7.

Butter (Flavoured with Fruit, Vegetable or Relish)

minimum 75% milk fat (as per CFIA rules)

4 consumer packages

8.

Other Milk Butters and/or Ghees (natural or flavoured) Prize: $100

i.e. Goat, Sheep or Water Buffalo. Ghees: minimum 99.3% milk fat, no more than 0.5% water (as per CFIA rules)

Grand Champion Butter Prize: $2500

Highest Scoring Exhibit in Section 800

Sponsorship: TBC

Cheddar Cheese

Section 801

Cheddar Cheese Rules and Regulations

  1. In 2022: Entry Requirements: Classes 1 - 5 inclusive, cheddar limited to a minimum format of approximately 2.5 kg. Cheesemakers may send in full blocks or wheels at their discretion.
  2. All cheddars entered in Classes 1 - 4 shall be made from cow milk.
  3. All cheddars eligible for Class 6 must be made from Ontario Cow Milk - this must be indicated on the entry form (Champion Ontario Cheddar – Cow Milk). All judges will retaste the 1st place winners of Classes 1 - 4 to determine the Champion Ontario Cheddar - Cow Milk.
  4. All cheddar placing 1st in Classes 1 - 5 will be eligible for Class 7, (Grand Champion Cheddar Any Milk). All judges will retaste the 1st place winners of Classes 1- 5 to determine the Grand Champion Cheddar (Any Milk).

Prize: $500 - Unless otherwise noted

Classes:

1.

Mild Cheddar, up to 3 months

2.

Medium Cheddar, 4 to 9 months

3.

Old/Extra Old Cheddar, 9 to 24 months

4.

Aged Cheddar, 2 years and older

5.

Cheddar – goat, sheep, buffalo or mixed milk (may include cow) Prize: $100

any format: block, clothbound or waxed

Champion Ontario Cheddar - Cow Milk Prize: $5000

Cheddar made from Ontario Cow Milk with the highest score

Sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario

Grand Champion Cheddar (Any Milk) Prize: $2500

Cheddar with the highest score. 1st place classes 1-5 are eligible.

Variety Cheese - Cow Milk

Section 802

Variety Cheese - Cow Milk Rules and Regulations

  1. Each entry must consist of consumer-sized packages (wheels or containers).
    1. If packages (wheels or containers) are 300 grams or less, the cheesemaker must provide four (4) units.
    2. If packages (wheels or containers) are over 300 grams, but less than 1 kg, the cheesemaker must provide 2 units for judging.
    3. If wheel or block is over 1 kg, at cheesemaker's discretion, individual, large wheel formats or wedges (any size) will be accepted this year.
    4. For wheels over 8 kg, a wedge from large format wheel will be accepted this year.

Prize: $500 - Unless otherwise noted

Classes:

1.

Fresh Unripened Cheese - Natural

(i.e. Ricotta, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Quark, Mascarpone, Fromage Blanc, Cheese Curds)

2.

Fresh Pasta Filata

(i.e. Bocconcini, Fior di Latte, Burrata)

3.

Pasta Filata – Ripened

(i.e. Provolone, Cacioccavallo)

4.

Cheese with Grilling Properties - Natural or Flavoured

(i.e. Queso Fresco, Paneer, Halloumi)

5.

Soft Cheese with Bloomy Rind

May include ash - i.e. Brie, Camembert. Moisture content 50-60%

6.

Soft Cheese with Bloomy Rind – Triple Crème

Moisture content 50–60%

7.

Soft Cheese – Mixed or Washed Rind

Moisture content 50–60%

8.

Semi-Soft, Interior Ripened

Moisture content 40–60%

9.

Semi-Soft, Surface Ripened

Mixed rinds, washed rinds, may include ash, beer washed, wine washed, cider washed. Moisture content 40-60%

10.

Firm and Hard - Interior Ripened (except cheddars)

Moisture content 20–52% (i.e. Gouda)

11.

Firm and Hard - Surface Ripened, Natural or Brushed Rind

Moisture content 20–52%

12.

Feta or Feta Style

with or without brining i.e. cotija

13.

Blue Cheese

inoculated, with or without blue veining. Smoked Blues excluded - enter in Class 16.

14.

Flavoured Cheese (except smoked)

i.e. wine or beer soaked cheese

15.

Flavoured Cheese (except smoked)

With added particulate solids, i.e. herbs, spices and/or other particulates

16.

Flavoured Cheese - Smoked

Must be naturally smoked, no liquid smoke.

17.

Open Prize: $0

Only to be used in the event that a cheese does not fit into a designated class

Grand Champion Variety Cheese – Cow Milk Prize: $5000

Highest Scoring Exhibit in Section 802

Banner: Phyllis Harrington

Goat, Sheep, Water Buffalo & Mixed Milk Variety Cheese

Section 803

Goat, Sheep, Water Buffalo & Mixed Milk Variety Cheese Rules and Regulations

  1. Each entry must consist of consumer-sized packages (wheels or containers).
    1. If packages (wheels or containers) are 300 grams or less, the cheesemaker must provide four (4) units.
    2. If packages (wheels or containers) are over 300 grams, but less than 1 kg, the cheesemaker must provide 2 units for judging.
    3. If wheel or block is over 1 kg, at cheesemaker's discretion, individual, large wheel formats or wedges (any size) will be accepted this year.
    4. For wheels over 8 kg, a wedge from large format wheel will be accepted this year.

Prize: $100

Classes:

1.

Fresh Unripened Cheese - Natural

(i.e. Ricotta, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, except feta and feta style)

2.

Fresh Unripened Cheese - Flavoured

(i.e. Ricotta, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese)

3.

Pasta Filata

(fresh and ripened varieties)

4.

Soft Bloomy Rind

(may include ash)

5.

Interior Ripened (except cheddars)

(i.e. Gouda, Friulano, Havarti)

6.

Surface Ripened

(ash, washed, natural or brushed rinds)

7.

Feta or Feta Style - Natural

with or without brining

i.e. cotija

8.

Feta or Feta Style - Flavoured

with or without brining

i.e. cotija

9.

Blue Cheese

(inoculated, with or without blue veining, smoked blues excluded, enter in Class 10)

10.

Flavoured Cheese

11.

Cheese with Grilling Properties - Natural or Flavoured

Cheese will be grilled for judging

12.

Open

(only to be used in the event that a cheese does not fit into a designated class)

Grand Champion Goat, Sheep, Water Buffalo, Mixed Milk Variety Cheese

Highest Scoring Exhibit in Section 803

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